REGIONAL SOFTBALL

Hawkette’s Season Ends at CRB

Coon Rapids-Bayard ended the Hawkettes’ season in the opening round of the regional softball tournament in Coon Rapids last night, 11-4.

CRB’s freshman pitcher Marissa Spoo picked up the win, giving up five hits and striking out five EG batters. The Hawkettes gave up 5 hits and 5 walks and allowed the Crusaders to steal base seven times. EG finished the year at 4-19.

CRB (17-12) advances to the quarterfinal round Friday night, taking on Glidden Ralston (22-7). In other Region 4 games, Earlham (27-8) eliminated CAM 12-0 in Anita and Exira (12-6) beat Adair Casey. Earlham and Exira square off Friday in Anita.

In the lower bracket of Region 4, Madrid (16-17) beat Colo-Nesco in Madrid, and Van Meter downed Grandview Park Baptist 3-0 in Van Meter. Madrid takes on Van Meter (10-19) in quarterfinal action Friday in Madrid.

TONIGHT’S CLASS 2A SCORES: Three of the four West Central Conference teams competing in Class 2A were sidelined in opening round regional action tonight (Thursday) with West Central Valley seeing its game at Nodaway Valley rained out until tomorrow. Two other area 2A teams, however, advanced on to the quarterfinal round. Jefferson-Scranton beat Prairie Valley and Ogden sidelined Gilbert.

Bondurant-Farrar 2, Des Moines Christian 0
North Polk 9, Panorama 0
Woodward-Granger 12, Guthrie Center 0
Jefferson-Scranton 5, Prairie Valley 1
Ogden 5, Gilbert 3

EYE ON GJ SAYS: No big surprises with the WC 2A teams, as they each faced formidable opponents. North Polk pitcher Sammy Snygg had 12 strikeouts in the win over Panorama, giving her a career record 2,178 strikeouts. Snygg, a senior, broke the old mark held by Jen Bice of Woodward-Granger who notched 2,175 strikeouts in her high school softball pitching career from 1995 to 1999.

J-S and Ogden got off to good starts. J-S will take on the winner of South Hamilton and Fort Dodge, which was postponed by rain from Thursday to Friday, in the quarterfinals, now scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. at Rogers Complex in Fort Dodge, site of the state tournament. Ogden takes on South Hardin in Roland at 7 p.m. on Friday. The winner of that game advances to the regional semifinal in Fort Dodge on Monday to take on the winner of the J-S and South Hamilton or St. Ed’s game. The Fort Dodge semifinal winner will take on the Humboldt semifinal winner in the regional final on Wednesday, July 15, at 7:30 p.m., also in Fort Dodge. All Fort Dodge games will be at Rogers.

The 1A teams in the West Central had an excellent opening night, going 3-0 against competition from other leagues. The league went to 2-0 against the Heart of Iowa-Small and 1-0 against the Rolling Hills. With CRB’s win over EG and Glidden-Ralston’s bye, the league has five teams still in play after round one. However, four of them face off against each other in the quarterfinals