In the Class 2A Regional opener in Milford, the Okoboji bats
came to life, scoring six runs in the sixth inning to expand an two-run lead to
eight, and, eventually, a 12-3 win over Sioux Central. Abby Taylor paced the Pioneers offense with a
3-for-4 effort and four runs batted in. Mikkinzie Peschong was the winning
pitcher. The Rebels end their season at 8-19, while Okoboji will take a 17-15
record to Swea City
on Thursday for a matchup with Cornbelt Conference champ and top-ranked North Union.
Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn needed just five innings to eliminate
the rival Wolverines of South O’Brien from the postseason, dominating an 11-0
shutout in their Class 2A Regional game in Hartley. Kathryn Ahlers was 2-for-3
with four RBI from the leadoff spot. Katie Mills had two hits and Kailey Enger
drove in a pair on one hit. In the circle, Krista Orthmann allowed just one hit
and struck out seven. South O’Brien finishes the year with an 11-24 mark. HMS,
now 11-20, will play Thursday at Lakes Conference co-champion and seventh-ranked
Emmetsburg. That game can be heard on Q102.
Also in Class 2A, West Lyon
shut down Sibley-Ocheyedan for a 13-0 win in five innings in Larchwood. The
Generals wrap up the year with a 3-23 record. The Wildcats move on to play
Western Christian. And Pocahontas Area/Pomeroy-Palmer defeated West Hancock,
19-7, and takes on Lake
Mills Thursday.
Lakes Conference rivals Spirit Lake
and Estherville-Lincoln Central met in the opening round of the Class 3A
Regionals, and for the third time this season, the fifth-ranked Midgets tallied
a double-digit decision over the Indians. The Lakes Conference co-champions won
12-1, scoring eight runs in the final two innings to pull away. Emily Kirchner
scored four times, going 2-for-3 with a two-run homer for ELC. Kendall Bosch
earned the win, scattering six hits. Spirit
Lake’s lone run came in
the third, with back-to-back, two-out hits from Alissa Christoffer and Amanda
Bueltel. Starting pitcher Cara Vale took the loss, giving up nine earned runs
over 5 1/3 innings of work with five strikeouts. Spirit
Lake concludes the summer
season with an even 19-19 record. Estherville-Lincoln Central, at 25-6, will
continue their pursuit of a second consecutive state tournament birth with a
second round home game against Humboldt on Friday. The Wildcats beat rival
Algona, 5-0, to advance.
Click here for the postgame interview with Spirit Lake coach Rachel Gerking.
In that same Region 1 bracket, Central Lyon/George-Little
Rock eliminated Sheldon behind a 16-6 victory, and will travel to play at
Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley on Friday. The Nighthawks snuck past Sioux Center,
5-4.
Also in Class 3A, MOC-Floyd
Valley pounded out an
11-0 win over cross-town rival Unity Christian. The eleventh-ranked Dutch will
host #14 OA-BCIG in the second round.
One non-postseason softball matchup on Tuesday ended with
Spencer grabbing their seventh Lakes Conference win, beating Storm Lake,
13-0. The Tigers went 7-7 in the league and will square off with the Tornadoes
again on Thursday in the opening round of the Class 4A Regionals.
