Kenai Central swept the Houston Hawks in a Northern Lights Conference softball clash Friday in Kenai, winning both games by mercy rule in three innings with scores of 17-2 and 19-4.

The doubleheader sweep pushed Kenai to 3-4 in the conference and 5-8 overall this year.

In the 17-2 opener, Kenai starter Cierra King pitched all three frames and struck out seven, and drew three walks from the plate.

Patricia Catacutan hit 2 for 2 with a triple, while Emily Koziczkowski went 3 for 3 with two doubles, Alyssa Stanton was 2 for 3, Jenna Helminski went 2 for 3 and Fiona Heath added an RBI triple.

“Our defense has been playing better,” said Kenai head coach John Manley. “Everybody in the infield had good play today.”

In the 19-4 victory in the second game, Savannah Jones pitched a complete game and struck out five. Like King in the first game, Jones was raking as a pitcher, as she hit 3 for 3 for the day.

Koziczkowski hit 4 for 4 to finish the day with seven total base hits. King went 2 for 2 with a triple and a double, catcher Alyssa Stanton drew three walks, Helminski was 2 for 3 and Brooklyn Nimcheski walked three times.

Manley said King has been pitching better as of late, especially with the volume she has thrown, and Jones is recovering from an illness that kept her from thrown bullpen sessions.

“I was happy to see she rebounded and was able to pull through,” he said.

Homer 13, Kodiak 1

The Mariners eased to a NLC victory over Kodiak on Friday, scoring seven runs in the first inning.

Mary Hana Bowe sent one over the fence that highlighted a 2-for-3 day with three RBIs, and Annali Metz and Annalynn Brown both went 2 for 2. Briana Hetrick and Kaitlyn Johnson both had doubles as well.

Brown went all four innings in the pitching circle, giving up one earned run on four hits and six walks, while striking out two.

Homer 15, Kodiak 3

Saturday, the Mariners got more power from Bowe, who added to her season home run tally with a solo shot in the first inning, helping Homer secure the win in four innings.

Bowe finished the day 2 for 3 with two RBIs and three runs, while Elsie Smith went 2 for 3 with three runs. Overall, Homer outhit Kodiak 8 to 3.

Metz pitched a complete game, giving up two earned runs on three hits and four walks, while striking out one.

Homer iced the game in the bottom of the third by plating 10 runs, highlighted by three doubles from Malina Fellows, Smith and Hetrick.