The Washington Demons swept Ottumwa in a home softball doubleheader Friday night. Washington scored right away to take the lead in Game One, as junior Leighton Salazar hit a lead-off double in the first inning and scored on a two-out base hit by senior Alyvia Anderson.

Ottumwa would answer back with a run in the second, and while the Demons briefly went back in front in the sixth when senior Ella Greiner drove in Salazar with a knock, the Bulldogs would tie the game with two outs in the top of the seventh.

Fortunately, Washington walked it off in the bottom half, as Salazar reached on another lead-off knock and would score after Ottumwa tried to throw home on a Colbie Greiner bunt attempt, finishing off a 3-2 victory.

While Salazar provided the offense, Greiner was a star for the Demons as a pitcher. The sophomore piled up 15 strikeouts in a complete-game victory while allowing six hits and one walk in the circle.

Washington wasted no time going in front in Game Two, as another lead-off double by Salazar turned into a run. Trailing 2-0 in the fourth inning, Ottumwa tried to counter with six straight two-out hits to take a 3-2 lead.

But the Demons answered again with two runs in the fifth and got two more for insurance in the sixth on their way to beating the Bulldogs 6-3. Leighton Salazar was perfect at the plate again with two hits and two runs scored, while Ella Greiner and fellow senior Halle Cuddeback added two knocks and one run scored each.

Senior Bella Salazar pitched a complete game for the win, working around 12 hits allowed and collecting eight K’s. After the games, Washington head coach Ben Obermann told KCII Sports that the opening week of the season showed his team is equipped to walk what will be a challenging road ahead.

“Our girls are starting to believe that we can play with anybody and beat anybody,” Obermann said, “which is going to have be the case, because our schedule is a gauntlet. But I’m really proud of our girls. We got put in different situations [where] we had the lead, gave the lead up [or] played from behind a little bit. We grew a little bit.”

Demon baseball would not have the same luck Friday night against Solon, falling 12-2. Washington has an early-season record of 1-2. Meanwhile, the Demons have started the new softball season 4-1 and now look to begin conference play by taking down the reigning Southeast Conference champions when they next take the diamond Monday evening against Burlington.

You can hear both games of the doubleheader as Washington softball on KCII comes your way Monday beginning with pregame coverage at 5 p.m. on 106.1 FM and streaming on KCIIradio.com and the KCII1 app.