AGWSR ends state runners-up

 

FORT DODGE- Dominating pitching and late inning heroics are the way state championship contests are suppose to be played.

Both teams had the dominating pitching, but unfortunately for the AGWSR softball team Collins-Maxwell came up with the late heroics and captured a walk-off 1-0 victory over the Cougars during the Class 1A state championship at the Rogers’ Sports Complex here Thursday.

The Spartans’ Hannah Caple delivered the game-winner, lining a single to rightfield to score Katie Camp with the game’s lone run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“It was a tremendous game. This was a classic softball game right here. You won’t see to many finals better than this game,” stated AGWSR co-head coach Scott O’Brien.

Collins-Maxwell’s Alexis Houge broke up Cougar chucker Taryan Barrick’s perfect game with a soft single over the second baseman to begin the seventh. The eighth-grader stole second and hustled to third when the throw rolled into centerfield. Camp then dropped a bunt single and stole second, leaving runners at second and third. Mikayla Houge hit a bouncer to shortstop and Sammi Mucino rifled a throw to catcher Ali Gerbracht, tagging out A. Houge in a close play. With one-out and Camp now at third, Caple singled and the first-year Spartans celebrated.

Barrick was unhittable for the first six frames as she struck out 10, including the side in the first and third, and only had one ball leave the infield.

“The key for Taryan was to get off to a good start. She got in a good groove in the first and I knew she was going to have a good game,” noted O’Brien.

The Cougars’ had scoring opportunities with base runners in four innings and none better than in the first, standing runners on second and third.

Makenna Kuper was hit-by-a-pitch to open the game and sprinted to third when Ali Gerbracht reached base on an error.

Barrick’s counterpart in the circle M. Houge escaped the early jam with back-to-back strikeouts followed by an infield pop-up.

For the full story see Tuesday's edition of the paper.

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