Class 4A, First Round
#8 Pella 5, #1 Xavier 1
The Dutch provided the first upset of the tournament in the first game. Pella broke a scoreless tie with 4 runs in the top of the 6th — Emma Eekhoff got a one out double which was the first hit of the game for both teams. Avery Parks followed with a single to left and Katie Scheckel was intentionally walked to load the bases. Lucy Carlson hit a grounder to short but the throw home was late and the courtesy runner Haylie DeVries scored to make it 1-0. Elah Hiemstra looped one over 2nd base for a 2 run single and Abby Melvin got a RBI single and Pella had a 4-0 lead. Eekhoff did allow 1 ER in the bottom of the 7th but limited the Saints to just 3 hits, did not walk anybody and struck out 8. Pella (23-12) advances to the 4A Semifinals on Wednesday at 10am while Xavier (37-6) will play in the consolation game Tuesday at 10 am.
#5 ADM 4, #4 Dallas Center Grimes 1 (9)
Each team had solo homers in the first 7 innings but it would 9 full frames before the Tigers broke the tie with a three run top of the 9th to advance. Jenah Gray homered for DCG in the bottom of the first and it stayed 1-0 until Lauren Hagedorn hit a solo shot in the top of the 6th to tie it 1-1. Madi James got a leadoff double in the top of the 9th for ADM — one out later Makenna Pitlick hit a shot down the left field line for a go ahead RBI double to make it 2-1. The Tigers added two more insurance runs to make it 4-1. DCG got two on with one out in the bottom of the 7th but Hagedorn got a ground out and a fly out to end it. ADM (28-8) will play Pella in the semifinals Wednesday at 10 am while Dallas Center Grimes (33-8) will play Xavier in the consolation round Tuesday at 10 am.
#7 North Scott 7, #2 Norwalk 1
The Lancers kept the upset train rolling in Class 4A by thumping the Warriors. Chevelle Kingsley scattered 9 hits in her 7 innings, allowing just a solo HR Nyah Hulbert, walked 3 and struck out 8. Kamilah Eller went 2-4 with a double, RBI, and 2 runs scored. Norwalk’s Carly Brewer has 16 HR but went 0-3 as the Warriors fall to 33-8. North Scott will play in the 4A Semifinals on Wednesday at 12:15 pm while Norwalk is now 33-8.
#3 North Polk 8, #6 Western Dubuque 7 (9)
The Bobcats built a 4-0 lead, the Comets cut the lead to one. Western Dubuque scored 3 more runs in the top of the 7th but Larissa Koth hit one to the wall with the bases loaded to tie the game at 7-7. In the bottom of the 9th, Lucy Lucas got a leadoff single, moved to 2nd on a wild pitch and, went to 3rd on a bunt and scored the game winning run on a sac fly from Tessa Dillinger. North Polk (30-11) will face North Scott in the 4A Semifinals on Wednesday while Western Dubuque (31-12) will face Norwalk in the consolation round Tuesday at 10:30 am.
Class 5A
#1 Waukee Northwest 4, #8 Dowling Catholic 0
Sophia Schlader pitched a 4 hit shutout to lead the Wolves to the state semifinals. Schlader walked 4 but struck out 15. Aunya Van Zetten went 2-3 with a run scored. Shay Davis — the 9 hitter — hit a home run and drove in 2 runs. The Maroons stranded 8 runners on base and falls to 15-19. Waukee NW is now 38-5 and will play in the 5A Semifinals on Wednesday at 10:30 am.
#4 Ankeny Centennial 9, #5 Valley 0 (5)
Aubrey Schieszinski threw a 2 hit shutout as the Jaguars blanked the Tigers. Mady Ott went 2-2 with a HR, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. It was the third time this season Centennial got a win over Valley by a combined score of 25-4. The Jags (33-9) will play Waukee Northwest in the 5A Semifinals — Waukee won the season series 2-1. Valley (29-12) will face arch-rival Dowling in the consolation round.
#2 Marion Linn Mar 5, #7 Pleasant Valley 1
The Lions trailed 1-0 but scored twice in the bottom of the 5th and added 3 more in the bottom of the 6th to send the Spartans to the consolation bracket. Emma Barnes scored the tying run in the 5th and hit a 2 run HR in the 6th. Emily Koranda went 7 innings and allowed just 1 ER on 2 hits, walked just 1 and struck out 12. Linn Mar (34-6) will play in the 5A Semifinals Wednesday at 12:45 pm while Pleasant Valley (30-10) will play in the consolation round.
#6 Cedar Falls 12, #3 SE Polk 11
It was the first time the Tigers ever made it to the Softball State Tournament and their first ever win. There were a combined 23 runs and 29 hits in the game. Amanda Finck hit a Grand Slam for Cedar Falls — Lexi Trueg hit a solo HR. The Tigers (31-9) will face Marion Linn Mar in the 5A Semifinals while SE Polk (31-11) goes to the consolation round.
Class 3A
#1 Dubuque Wahlert 1, #8 Center Point Urbana 0
In a classic pitchers duel, Julia Roth outduels Mya Hillers as the Golden Eagles advanced to the 3A Semifinals. The only run was in the bottom of the 5th, Natalie Ruba got a 1 out looper to center for a single; one out later Ruth Tauber delivered a gapper to left center scoring Ruba for the only run of the game. Roth threw a 2 hit shutout, walked 2 and struck out 10. Hillers allowed just 1 ER on 5 hits but took the loss. Wahlert is now 36-7 and will play in the 3A Semifinals on Wednesday at 2:30 pm. The Stormin’ Pointers fall to 25-13.
#4 PCM 5, #5 West Liberty 4
PCM walks it off in the bottom of the 7th to get their first ever win at the softball state tournament. The Mustangs led 2-1 going to the 7th but the Comets rallied with 3 runs highlighted by a 2 run double by Mallory Wulf. PCM rallied back in the bottom of the 7th — with the bases loaded Libby Winters hit it deep to center that just nicked off the glove of the center fielder. Winters had stopped at third base but the throw got away on the infield and Winters scored on the error to win it. PCM is now 26-4 and will play Wahlert in the 3A Semifinals Wednesday at 2:30 pm. West Liberty falls to 22-8.
