(Fort Dodge) Davenport, Assumption shut down Atlantic 12-0 in four innings in a Class 3A State Softball semi-final in Fort Dodge on Wednesday.
All-State pitcher Bella Nigey held the Atlantic batters at bay, and the Knights provided the offensive firepower with 12-runs on nine hits in four innings. Nigey allowed no runs on two hits, struck eight, didn’t walk a batter, and allowed just three Atlantic baserunners. Olivia Engler and Ava Rush each hit singles, and Alyssa Derby drew a walk.
“We knew they were going to have good pitching and hit the ball well,” said Atlantic Head Coach Terry Hinzmann. “They’re the kind of team you can’t make mental mistakes against, go to sleep on, and have errors, and unfortunately, we had all three of those that made a quick game for them.”
The Knights loaded the bases on back-to-back bunts and a walk in the bottom of the first inning. Engler battled back, forcing a line-0ut a pop-up, walked a run in, and struck out Lauren Loken to end what could have been a huge inning for the Knights.
However, Assumption came roaring back in the second inning with six runs on four hits. Anna Wohlers belted an RBI single, Maddie Loken drilled a two-RBI double, followed by Libby Madden and Lauren Loken’s RBI base knocks to open up a 7-0 lead.
The Knights kept the offensive train rolling down the track in the third and fourth innings to call it a day. Syd Roe blasted a three-run homer in the third to put her squad up 10-0, and Madden scored on a ground ball, and Lauren Loken trotted home on an error to end the contest 12-0 in the bottom of the fourth.
Olivia Wardlow and Libby Madden each went two-for-three, and Syd Roe’s three-run homer led the Knights offensively.
Atlantic plays Williamsburg for third place on Friday at 1:00 p.m. We will have the broadcast on 95.7 FM and audio streamed on westerniowatoday.com.
“We’re going to try and regroup and come back and see what happens on Friday,” said Hinzmann. “The key is going to be putting this game behind us, and I guess we will see what we’re made of.”
