CEDAR RAPIDS — The seventh-ranked Ottumwa softball team warmed up for today’s big CIML Metro showdown at Huston Field with a pair of wins Saturday at the Cedar Rapids Jefferson Classic.

Coach Frank Huston’s squad walked off with a thrilling 2-1 win over Dubuque Hempstead before taking a 5-2 victory over Mount Vernon — which is ranked 11th in Class 3A.

The Bulldogs, now 21-5 overall, will host Des Moines Lincoln in doubleheader action today. Ottumwa, Lincoln and sixth-ranked Des Moines East are currently tied atop the Metro standings with two losses each, so tonight’s twinbill holds a big influence over the conference crown.

Sammy Garrett provided the game-ending heroics against Hempstead on Saturday, belting an RBI-double in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Ottumwa the 2-1 win. Garrett’s smack scored Paige Schreiner, who had doubled with one out.

Ottumwa’s Missy Staloch surrended a run in the first inning on two Hempstead hits. Staloch improved to 12-3 in decisions this season as she allowed five hits in all and fanned seven batters while not allowing a walk.

The Bulldogs got the run back in the fourth, when Courtney Klyn’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly brought home pinch runner Amy Albertson to knot things at 1-1.

In the 5-2 win over Mount Vernon, the Bulldogs put three runs up in the second inning when they took advantage of three errors and utilized RBI singles by Schreiner, Klyn and Albertson. Two Bulldog errors in the fourth, mixed with a walk and a Mount Vernon base hit, plated two runs and cut Ottumwa’s lead to 3-2.

The Bulldogs put it away in the sixth, scoring twice on four straight singles by Lindsey Evans, Liz Cason, Megan Bix and Klyn. Courtney Wagner earned the win on the mound, working four 1-2-3 innings and allowing just four hits through six. Neither of the runs charged to Wagner was earned.

Ottumwa 2, Dubuque Hempstead 1

D.H. 100 000 0 — 1 5 0

Ott 000 100 1 — 2 5 2

Ottumwa battery — Missy Staloch (W, 12-3) (7IP, 5H, 1R, 1ER, 7K, 0BB), Lindsey Evans catching.

2B — Paige Schreiner, Sammy Garrett.

Hits — Schreiner 1-for-4, Courtney Heller 1-for-2, Garrett 1-for-1, Liz Cason 1-for-3, Megan Bix 1-for-2.

RBI — Garrett, Courtney Klyn. Runs — Schreiner, Amy Albertson.