WILLIAMSBURG — They knew they’d be in a tight game. It didn’t worry the Lynnville- Sully High Hawks as they advanced into Monday night’s Iowa Class 1A, Region 5 championship game.
“We’ve played a lot of ballgames and we’ve seen a lot of different defenses and different types of batters at this point in time. I think we feel we’re very prepared taking the next step,” said Hawk head coach Stacey Alberts, following last Friday’s semifinal game.
The Hawk softball team took the next step Monday with a 5-3 win over Lisbon High’s Lions. The win secured the regional championship but more importantly, it vaulted the Hawks into the 2013 Iowa Class 1A State Softball Tournament next week in Fort Dodge.
Not even the field lights going off a couple times in the bottom of the seventh deter the Hawks in their quest for another trip to the state tournament. Alberts said the L-S players did a good job of staying focused during "an odd inning" while playing defense against Lisbon.
"It was a great game and we did enough in the seventh inning to win it. The girls didn't let the light situation bother them," Alberts said. "We're extremely happy to be moving on to play at state."
Lynnville-Sully broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning, scoring three runs. The Hawks added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings. Lisbon plated its three runs in the seventh frame.
Madison Rasmusson was the winning pitcher plus led the Hawk offense. In the circle, Rasmusson allowed seven hits, walked two and struck out six. At the plate, she went 3- for-4 with three base hits and drove in two runs.
Becca Vos and Kristal Beyer each doubled. Hitting a single apiece for the Hawks were Shelby Davis, Lasandra James and Shaylin Lukehart.
The sixth-ranked Hawks (36-5) will play fifth-ranked Don Bosco (32-8) at 11:30 a.m. Monday, July 22, in the opening round of the 1A state tournament. The state tournament will be at Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge, July 22-26.
Seven of the top 10 ranked teams in Iowa Class 1A are in the state tournament. Top- ranked Akron-Westfield (34-2) is in the same side of the bracket as Lynnville-Sully. Akron-Westfield plays Janesville (16-7) in the first round.
Second-ranked Martensdale-St. Marys (30-2) plays 10th-ranked New London (30-9) while fourth-ranked Newell-Fonda (35-6) takes on eighth-ranked Remen St. Mary’s (28-6) on the other side of the bracket in the opening round.