Jurgens powers CMB to title game

COLLINS ­— Payge Jurgens was still frustrated over last season’s 2A regional final softball loss to Iowa City Regina when she showed up for Collins-Maxwell/Baxter’s volleyball media day last fall.

She has set a goal to help the Raider softball team accomplish something that has never been done at the school — playing in the state softball tournament.

After two home runs Friday, Jurgens and the Raiders are once again one win away from that elusive state berth.

Jurgens hit a game-tying home run in the fourth inning and then her towering three-run shot in the fifth inning powered No. 14 CMB past Saydel, 5-1, during the Class 3A Region 7 semifinals.

“She threw me a ball and then she threw me one inside waist high, and I was like ‘see you later.’ I am blown away right now,” Jurgens said. “That second one was big. The crowd went crazy. I want state really bad. That’s been my goal for a long time.”

Jurgens and the Raiders will get another shot at a winner-take-all game for a spot in the 3A state tourney. CMB (24-8) hosts North Polk (21-12) at 7 p.m. Monday in Collins.

“I know for a fact that we can do it,” Jurgens said. “State is in our near future. Having two strong pitchers, a phenomenal defense and a great team gives me a lot of confidence.”

Jurgens has been on a tear as of late. In the Raiders’ last four games — all wins — the Raider senior is 8-for-11 with four home runs, eight RBIs and eight runs scored. She is hitting the mark at the right time and hoping to lead the Raiders to their first-ever state softball tournament appearance.

“She knows this is it for her,” CMB coach Troy Houge said. “She knows she needs to be a leader. She wants to do something that we have never done at CMB, and she knows that she’s a big part of that.”

Eighth-grader Mikayla Houge gave up a first-inning, two-out home run to Lindsay Bianchi but overcame the early deficit with an eight-strikeout performance in the circle. She is now 12-3 on the season with an earned run average of 1.52.

Saydel (21-11) managed just five hits in the game — three by sophomore Alexis Carney. Houge had 1-2-3 innings in the second, third, fifth and seventh frames. She struck out two Eagles in the first, second and fourth innings.

“It came in a little bit. I wanted it to be more outside, but she made a good piece of hitting on it, and there’s nothing you can do about that,” Mikayla Houge said about the first-inning home run she allowed to Bianchi. “I was just thinking about shutting them down. They weren’t going to score any more.”

It wasn’t a perfect offensive effort from the Raiders, but Jurgens refused to let her team lose. Her solo shot in the fourth was a rocket off the bat, and it just cleared the left-center field fence. The three-run shot in the fifth was a high, towering blast that landed on the batting cage netting in left field.

“That second one was a no-doubter. I knew it right away. I like those,” Coach Houge said. “We didn’t expect that, but we know she can do it. If you make a mistake on her right now, she won’t miss.”

Jurgens’ three-run home run came after sophomore Katie Camp walked and junior Abbey Kahler singled with one out. The Raiders batted around in the inning and stranded three runners on base.

In the seventh, CMB added a fifth insurance run. Jurgens walked to lead off the inning. Freshman Gracie Cheville pinch ran for Jurgens and moved up a base on junior Mikayla Eslinger’s sacrifice bunt.

Freshman Hannah Caple poked a single to left field that moved Cheville to third. Cheville sprinted home when the ball got past Saydel left fielder Sydney Dhabolt.

“We didn’t hit quite as well, but when we needed it, we came up with the hits,” Coach Houge said. “That last hit that Hannah came up with allowed us to get another run. Every run is big so that was a big hit.”

That was more than enough support for Houge, who now has 109 strikeouts on the season.

“Mikayla got some good strikeouts, but the defense made some big plays, too,” Coach Houge said. “It was a team effort.”

Jurgens was 3-for-3 at the plate and walked once. She drove in four of CMB’s five runs and scored twice. Caple was 1-for-1 with two walks and a sacrifice bunt. Eighth-grader Holly Jessen singled and walked once.

Saydel, who started 11-1 but won only 10 of its last 20 games, used three pitchers on the night. Senior Taylor Tague lasted 4 1/3 innings and took the loss. She surrendered Jurgens’ first homer and then was pulled just before Jurgens’ second blast.

Freshman Jade Olsen was tagged with one earned run — Jurgens’ second homer — but lasted just 1/3 of an inning after allowing three hits and two walks in the fifth. Junior Kaylee Polke got the final out of the fifth and finished the game, allowing one unearned run and one hit with one walk.

The Raiders have won four straight games and seven of their last eight. They are in the regional championship game for the second straight season. This time, CMB will play in 3A and face a North Polk team which defeated Bondurant-Farrar, 6-2, earlier in the night.

CMB and North Polk split the season series, but the Raiders lost a 5-1 lead in the first game. The Raiders defeated the Comets 5-0 in the most recent game on June 20.

“If we come out and play our game, I think we’ll be in good shape,” Coach Houge said. “We were close last year. We have gone one step farther each year. Hopefully we take it another step Monday.”