—Messenger photo by Britt Kudla iowa central players congratulate Ellie Nolte after one of her four homeruns against Central on Wednesday at Rogers Park. For more photos, visit CU at messengernews.net

Ellie Nolte hit nine home runs during her five-year high school career at Southeast Valley.

But all nine of those came before her senior season.

This past weekend, Nolte ended that drought with her first collegiate homer at Iowa Central during a sweep of Ellsworth on the road.

Well, after another doubleheader sweep Wednesday, Nolte now has five career blasts in a Triton uniform, connecting for four in wins over Central at Rogers Park.

Scores were 11-1 in six innings and 12-4 in five.

No. 24 Iowa Central (34-9 overall, 19-6 in ICCAC) hit eight home runs on the day, stretching its win streak to nine. They finished with 29 hits, including 14 extra-base hits, improving to 12-4 at home.

Nolte was 5-for-7 with the four homers, driving in eight runs while scoring five times. Natalie Rasmussen belted out three of those eight longballs, finishing with five hits, six RBI, four runs scored and a steal.

“Ellie is a kid who has been putting in extra time and is fun and enjoyable to coach,” ICCC head coach Bo Tjebben said. “She works hard and that softball must be looking like a basketball right now for her.

“It’s just great to see her having so much success because of all that work she is doing. You love to see it come together for kids like that.”

At Southeast Valley, Nolte hit three homers as a junior, four as a sophomore and two as a freshman. She played in nine games for Iowa Central last spring.

“I haven’t really changed anything with my approach at the plate,” Nolte said. “Everything is just starting to click. I have spent a lot of time with Coach Bo and especially with Coach Bill (Myers) working on my swing and it is all finally coming together.

“I spent a lot of time with (former ICCC head baseball coach) Rick Pederson in the batting cages. I wouldn’t be where I am today without those three guys.”

In the fourth inning of the opener, Nolte, Rasmussen and Jersey Hawf went back-to-back-to-back to put the Tritons up 6-0. Nolte’s second homer of the contest finished the contest off in the sixth.

“These last few games have been a blast,” Nolte said. “It is such a rewarding feeling knowing that all your hard work has paid off. It is also so fun to watch my teammates succeed at the plate with Natalie having three home runs and Jersey one.

“It was also great to see Jillian (French) pick up her 100th career strikeout.”

Cadence Touney, a Fort Dodge Senior High standout, was 6-for-6 with three RBI, two runs scored, a pair of doubles and a steal, as St. Edmond grad Lauren Gibb collected a hit with a stolen base in the nightcap.

“We expected Natalie to be a leader and set the tone for us,” Tjebben said. “Some might thing we are crazy for hitting her in the leadoff spot, but that’s where we want her to set us up. It gives her the chance to have the most at-bats.

“Cadence is another kid who has just been locked in at the plate.”

Josephine Moore drove in four runs in the two games, Kyra Kain had two hits and scored two runs in the opener. French struck out five in five innings with two hits allowed inside the circle, as Jaidan Abel went three with four strikeouts.

Rasmussen answered a first inning run by Central with a solo home, as Nolte would record her third later that inning to make it 4-1. Rasmussen went deep again in the second inning and Nolte again in the fourth.

Touney ended the contest with an RBI hit in the fifth.

“We are just focusing on taking care of who we are playing that day,” Tjebben said. “You have to stay locked in each time out there and the girls are doing a great job of that.

“It’s been a lot of fun to see them playing as well as they have been.”

Iowa Central is scheduled to host Ellsworth on Thursday at 6 p.m. for a single game before heading to Boone on Sunday for a doubleheader vs. 11th-ranked Des Moines Area.