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And then there were two.

Two more championships to go.

And this is class two A from the Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex on the north side of Fort Dodge, Iowa, on the heart of Webster County.

It's time for the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union State softball tournament.

It's number three West Lyon and the defending champs in the one seed this year, the Van Meter Bulldogs.

In this state championship Friday.

Hello, everybody.

Paul Yeager.

Along with Laura Leonard.

We get you ready now for this contest last year, Laura, we sat here and talked about Van Meter.

They won the title.

They're the defending champ, but it's West Lyon tonight that gets to play the role of spoiler.

New experience for them.

They won two games 50 years ago.

Now they're trying to win their first title.

Does that mean there's pressure on them.

There's probably a little pressure, but they seem very loose.

We've been watching them in warmups and they seem to be just very fine with the whole situation.

Moment's not too big for them, but they've had a record setting season and they just need to rely upon that.

And the experiences they've had through the regular season and bring that on to this Championship field.

The last time West Lyon was here in the, in the in the tournament, none of these girls were even born.

It was back in 2004.

This is the program record for wins and hits.

They have eight different players who've had multiple hit games at state.

Ella Langenhorst you are going to love watching her play.

I know Laura has.

She's been fun to watch behind the Plate and her pitcher isn't too bad either.

Jersey Hawf 504 strikeouts.

That is a great combo Laura.

It is a really good combo.

Make some strong up the middle and their defense has been really solid all tournament long as well.

How about that?

Defending champion team, you know, is it any different than last year?

Yeah a little bit a little bit.

But yes they had seven players that played in that game a year ago.

So they're a young old team or an old, young team.

However you want to put it.

They've got young pitching this year, so they're relying on those arms, but they have had to rely on the defense at times and the offense at times.

But it was the pitching that got them into this game.

They relied on that pitching in the semifinal game.

But let's not forget the hitting either.

Ava Hohenadel 11 home runs, including one that got him in and advanced here in the tournament.

The flag is blowing with the wind at seven miles an hour out of the south southeast.

It's 84 degrees.

Feels like 89, feels like a championship.

Friday.

The clouds are taking over.

The sun is still out and now it's time.

As we get ready to meet the two teams, they are going to head out.

Van Meter is in their white pinstripes and West Lyon from far northwest Iowa.

They're in Lyon County.

It is going to be fun to see these two teams play.

We need to meet them and that's part of the state tournament law.

As we we will meet the team in just a moment.

Fans.

If I could have your attention, please.

The character counts.

Coach of the Year award honors a worthy recipient who embodies the six pillars of character trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.

Rather than spotlight winning records and isolated acts of heroism or generosity, the award was conceived to recognize individuals whose coaching lives and achievements demonstrate an enduring commitment to any or all of the following qualities associated with good character.

Presenting this year's award is Scott Racker and Chuck long, along with JSU Executive Director Aaron Gerlich, the 2025 recipient of the Character Counts Coach of the year is Fort Dodge softball coach Andy Adams.

In recognition of this honor, a $1,000 cash award will be made to the Fort Dodge athletic department to further enhance character development initiatives.

Andy has been the head softball coach at Fort Dodge High School for 25 years.

Andy previously coached at Fort Dodge Saint Edmond and Eldora-new Providence and holds an overall career record of 850 wins, 353 losses, making her the second winningest female coach in Iowa history.

She has led teams to 16 state tournament appearances in her career.

Coach Adams was inducted into the Iowa Girls Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2020, as well as the Webster City and Buena Vista University Halls of Fame in 2011.

Her accolades include 2021 Des Moines Register Softball Coach of the year, 2021 Five-a coach of the year, and multiple honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Over 100 of her players have gone on to play collegiate softball, with more than 80 earning All-State honors.

Beyond the field, she has led numerous fundraisers and community initiatives in Fort Dodge.

Andy and her husband Dan, a teacher and coach at Fort Dodge High School, have three children Jalen, Ty, and kale.

Ladies and gentlemen, the character count Softball Coach of the Year Andy Adams.

Very deserving for Coach Adams.

I mean, we both had great opportunities to talk with her.

She is a gem.

Yeah, she really is.

And what a great job she's done at all the places that she has stopped.

And coaching and excuse me, she is she is a coach that you really would want to play for if you were in that school, if you were at Fort Dodge, you'd say, yeah, I want to go out and play softball for her.

You get fired up when you hear her speak to her players or in the media, or just having conversations.

She tells you like it is, and that is very much appreciated.

Yeah, she does not hold back at all.

And you're right.

You appreciate that.

That.

And I think you would appreciate that as being one of her players as well.

Well, I want to know and well, her daughter is also played here.

And so that's been kind of fun for her as well.

If you we don't want you to miss a minute of today's championship action, you can catch all of the live stream today.

We are on YouTube as well as Iowa PBS as we are live streaming this event.

If you want to go back and watch any of those past games, you can do so.

You can do so at any moment.

Go back and watch all those classic games.

Would you say we had an instant classic in the in the game from.

Before we did?

We had an instant classic and it was it was a quick game.

It was well played.

It was back and forth, exciting And and it was one of those games where you go, wow, this is why I really like softball.

Softball fans.

And welcome.

To Rogers Sports Complex.

And this two way championship game between the West Lyon Wildcats and the Van Meter Bulldogs.

It's time to meet our teams.

First of all, the visitors from West Lyon here, the Wildcats your nonstarters number 13 Hadlee Vander Sanden number 14 Avery Schoening.

Number 18 Mara Beehler.

Number 21 Brooke Poppens.

Number 22 Belah Kramer.

And number 28 Taya Christie.

Your assistant coach is Taylor DeYoung Now here's your starting lineup for the Wildcats of West Lyon leading off doing the catching number 12 Ella Langenhorst batting second in center field.

Number two Leah Blauwet batting third, doing the pitching number five Jersey Hawf cleanup hitter for the Wildcats at third base.

Number ten Reese Kramer batting fifth.

At shortstop, number 23 Braylyn Childress batting sixth, playing first base.

Number 19 Caitlin Berenschot batting seventh in left field number three Mallorie Koch batting eighth playing second base, number four Jessa Ciesielski batting in the ninth position, the right fielder number 15 Lucy Doorneweerd Head coach for the Wildcats Alexis Severson.

And now let's meet the team from Van Meter.

Here are the Bulldog Nonstarters number one Ashlan Small.

Number two, Lilly Lindsey.

Number three Lainy Newhard Number five Delanie Lyftogt Number six Jillian Wosmansky Number seven Audrey Barr Number nine Ivy Vaught Number ten Johannah Williams.

Number 16 Mallory Young.

Number 21 Brystal Webb Number 22 Kat Shepard Number 23 Ella Fennessey Number 25 Emma.

Day And number 27 Lydia Thummel.

Your assistant coaches Josh Flaws Hillary Uhlman.

Emily Blok and Jordan Villhauer.

And now here's your starting lineup for the Bulldogs of Van Meter leading off and playing shortstop.

Number 12 Finley Netten batting second in left field.

Number 11 Maddie Schnell batting third, doing the catching number 17 Kelly Richards, cleanup hitter for the Bulldogs.

The designated player, number 24 Ava Hohenadel, batting fifth at second base.

Number 20 Haley Karaidos batting sixth in right field.

Number four Bianca Prickett batting seventh at third base.

Number 32 Marah Karaidos batting eighth at first base.

Number 18 Alice Ruggles batting in the ninth position, doing the pitching number 13 Annie Netten and your flex player in center field.

Number 14 Katie Vaught.

Head coach for the Bulldogs is James Flaws.

And now fans, turn your attention to the home plate area.

The umpires assigned to this championship contest by the Sioux, our first base.

Terry Jeffrey, third base.

Carl Wooldridge and calling the balls and strikes.

Jeff Osborne.

All right, who's ready to win a state championship Everybody's dressed in blue.

They're hoping to be pretty happy in a little bit.

If we can get this game going as we have the starting defense for your defending champ, Van Meter Bulldogs, they're 33 and two.

Maddie Schnell Katie Vaught Bianca Prickett in your outfield at first.

Alice Ruggles second is a Halle Karaidos Finley Netten at short and Marah Karaidos your battery is Annie Netten and Cali Richards That defense.

You can't make a lot of errors here at the state championship games.

And when you have good people in the circle and it is.

Starting pitching here for Van Meter.

Yeah it is.

And Netten one of the young pitchers that they have relied upon, she's gotten a lot of innings here at the state tournament.

Van Meter is number two in the two in fielding percentage.

So they don't make a lot of errors.

That's Annie Netten number 13.

Getting the start in this contest, which is different than we thought.

Maybe we'd see what was meant.

Wosmansky she pitched earlier the sophomore.

Here's the West Lyon batting order.

Langenhorst Blauwet Hawf Kramer Childress Berentschot cook Ciesielski and Doorneweerd do up.

And the keys to the game.

Laura.

Yeah, for West Lyon don't get caught up in the moment.

They just need to play their game.

And I'd have to say the way they were acting before this game started.

They are not caught up in this big moment and they need to flush any mistakes that they have.

If they have one move on to the next one.

Annie Netten first pitch at 513 as a ball.

In this class, two, a state championship contest.

Here's Van Meter keys.

Laura.

Well, they want to get off to a fast start.

They have gotten behind in both of their games up here at the tournament.

They do not want to do that and can't do that against this West Lyon team.

And then they need to have that next pitch mentality.

They have to go again.

Kind of the same thing.

You got to flush the mistakes next pitch mentality and that's big.

I think for both of these teams.

Ella Langenhorst pops it up behind short Finley Netten there for the first out of the inning.

Van Meter Finley Netten with the catch foul.

Number one.

That'll Get up underneath that one.

And Netten covering a lot of ground.

And she's just been solid at that shortstop position for many years.

For Van Meter.

Leah Blauwet now bats for West Lyon And that is a strike, according to Jeff Osborne, home plate umpire.

We talked a little bit about this Van Meter team that they're an old, Young team.

We see the Young in the circle here, and you've got the experience behind her.

And at times Coach Flaws said.

You know what?

We've relied on our bats and that is one of his games.

We have relied on our defense that has won us games and that has helped this young pitching staff grow.

As the season has gone on, pitching staff has stepped up big here at the state tournament.

No bigger than putting an eighth grader out there and Annie Netten.

Yeah, how about that.

Ground.

Ball.

Through.

Pass a diving Finley Netten and Blauwet on with a one out hit.

Looked like the infield was in just a little bit.

And that one sneaks by the outstretched glove of Netten.

That'll put on Blauwet at first.

She looks across Jersey Hawf starting pitcher for West Lyon, now up third spot in the order.

First pitch high Hawf headed to Iowa Central.

Play here in Fort Dodge, but on the other diamond for home games on the season of for 13 hitter and six round trippers.

You know, this West Lyon team is just a team that will string singles together.

Yes, they have the power, but they do a good job of setting the table and and being able to put runners on and let the power come through.

But they, as we said, is a record setting year for them.

Set a school record as far as base hits singles.

And that's what you want to do here to start this ball game, get some runners on and see if you can move them around.

Maybe jump on the first pitch.

We saw that in the last game.

The three zero coming to Hawf is a strike.

Here we go.

You gotta love it.

Go get it.

Alexis Severson there.

In her second year has played here, she was at Boyden-hull.

That's hit in the air on the three one pitch back goes Prickett makes the grab.

Going back to first is Blauwet and there's two away.

Bianca Prickett with the catch.

Number two.

Reese Kramer to bat.

Now for Van Meter a 323 hitter driven in 21 runs.

And usually there's somebody on ahead of her.

That's what that four spot is supposed to do.

And looks at a first pitch.

Missed the zone.

You know nothing's getting by right now.

She's not hitting her spots.

She's gotten behind in a couple of the hitters in the count.

But she's come back with really good pitches to get the outs.

That one got away from her.

I had to flinch on that one.

It was coming right at us.

I'm sitting here listening to you say about, you know, maybe not hitting her spots and and as you said, the word spot that ball just went up.

That's coming at us.

She said, I'm going to hit you.

I'll show you the spot.

You got it?

Just, you know.

Right there.

She got it.

Our vantage point here behind home.

Thank you.

And that one misses.

She's not missing those spots by much, though.

No, no.

And in the first inning, you kind of have to figure out where is this umpires zone.

And and you start and you work your way.

You start out as far as you think you can get it, and then you have to work your way in.

The three zero is a strike, just like she did to Blauwet.

She goes three zero and then three one.

So the script is supposed to be Kramer puts it in play somewhere.

The two away runner at second is Blauwet.

The batter is Kramer chopped in the middle.

It's going to be a tough one.

Quick throw is dropped and a run scores.

Blauwet comes around to get the game's first run on Kramer, who goes right up the middle.

Kind of hard for Netten to get get that cleanly out.

It looked like she might have trapped that over there at first, and you keep running, meaning that there's two out in this ball game.

You keep the runners moving around and Blauwet It just comes in cruising in as Ruggles trying to hold it there and get the out over.

At first.

They rule that a hit.

So West Lyon strikes first.

Runners at the corners or runner at first is Kramer Braylyn Childress, who had a home run earlier in the tournament this week.

Confident player helps everyone remain light hearted in pressure situations.

Maybe not super pressure, just maybe a little anxiety right now in this first inning.

Hits it.

Foul down the right field line sharply and assistant coach DeYoung down there.

I'm not going to move Taylor.

Just held.

You know that that run that was scored.

It was kind of like oh by the way we just scored a run.

Yeah.

And everybody I think there was a little confusion because they were waiting for the call over there at first.

And the run comes across.

That's hit to right.

And that's going to go down and could be cut off by Prickett.

Going to third is Kramer.

And now runners, there's a little bit of a rundown.

Let's see if Van Meter bites.

They don't balls back in the circle.

Childress with a hit to right.

And there's runners at first and third with two outs, one already in for West Lyon and already emerging from the dugout is James Flaws out to the circle.

Hey, right here we're going to go six.

Okay.

We're going to throw a fastball out.

Okay.

One five steals.

We're going to throw her out okay.

Hey, we're moving on.

Let's go.

We're moving on, we're moving on.

We gotta go.

Next play.

Let's go, let's go Dawgs on three, one two, three.

We'll move on.

He.

They've hit on both the keys so far.

Number one.

Don't fall behind.

That was you know get off to a fast start.

They have not had their opportunity at the plate yet so.

But they've already fallen behind.

The other thing was next play mentality.

Let's move on.

And he talked about that.

So they're going to try to throw the runner out here.

If she tries to steal is what the play they have on.

It sounded like Cali Richards the veteran catcher going to let her see what she can do, showing bunt is Barrett Scott.

They throw all the way down to second.

The throw is in time out and the play works just as it's drawn up.

Laura.

Well, they gave her a pitch that she could handle.

She was already scooting out to the right side of the plate, out onto the outer part of the corner.

They gave her a great pitch to handle and look at that gun.

She got it down there in enough time And even Kramer slid past the bag.

I don't think she thought they would necessarily throw down to get her, but we have seen some of those.

Hey, we've already let one in.

What's another run?

I guess if you have confidence in your bats.

Well, and you maybe want her to stop halfway to as well and try to get in that rundown, if they throw it down.

West Lyon scores first and now they will go out and play defense here with cook, Blauwet and Doorneweerd in right Kramer at third, Childress at short, Ciesielski at second, Berentschot at first, and it's Jersey Hawf and Ella Langenhorst the battery as we talk about Jersey Hawf second straight game with a pitcher named Jersey.

What's this one do?

She's got a little bit of a rise ball.

I think all pitchers nowadays have a rise ball and have perfected it.

She's got a good curveball.

She is going to be in and around the zone.

Good strikeout to walk ratio.

Does not walk a whole lot of hitters.

There are times that she can get in and out of trouble.

And let's see what she can do with this lineup.

This is a tough one.

Finley Netten Maddie Schnell Richards Hohenadel Karaidos Prickett.

Then it's Mara Karaidos Ruggles.

And then Annie Netten to bat.

Van Meter Just west of the Des Moines area.

West Lyon from far northwest Iowa.

As we do battle here in the two AA Finley Netten leads things off, hitting 413.

First pitch low.

Van Meter beat East Marshall and West Fork.

To get here.

They had to walk it off against West Fork in the semis.

First pitch to second pitch to Netten is a strike.

Netten in her ripped pants.

Laura?

Yeah, you can see I asked her about that.

I said, now are you going to change pants for the championship game as somebody's going to sew those up?

And she said, nope, going same pants.

We've had them that way all season long.

I've got sliding shorts on and you can kind of see she's got those sliding shorts on underneath.

She goes from the top of my knee all the way up to my hip.

So I don't get those strawberries, but they are several players on that team that have big holes in the back of their uniform pants just like that.

From being on the bases, stealing bases.

And this team will steal a lot of bases.

She's already dirty from just warmups and diving after things, so Finley Netten bats with A22 count.

And you also can't mess with what got you there, right?

Two twos floated.

High count goes full.

Yeah, I said so.

You're going to go same uniforms.

And she goes, yeah, we're going to go same.

I go, you're going to wash them right.

And she goes, well we're going to wash them.

They're kind of smelly and sweaty right now, but we're going to leave them as is.

And I said, I get it.

I mean, there's all these kinds of superstitions and things that you do throughout the season that you kind of feel as a player help you get through the season, help you get that extra win, maybe help you get that extra hit so you don't mess with that mojo.

And there's the screaming dugout to our left.

They're all up on the fence trying to cheer on Finley Netten here.

That pitch is floated just out of the zone and it's a leadoff walk for the senior They went with the off speed and it just missed.

And a good patient at bat by Netten very smart.

Didn't go after that pitch.

It was inviting but held back inviting.

I like that good phrase.

Maddie Schnell shows bunt, pulls it back.

Langenhorst throws down to first and oh, my goodness that throw was in the perfect spot and it just fell out of the glove of Ciesielski.

I'm not sure Netten didn't hear Ciesielski come back in behind and she was trying to bait that throw.

And then all of a sudden I think she heard footsteps and hustled back.

Schnell bunt.

The throw down to second is into center field.

Blauwet gets it back and now Netten on in scoring position with the stolen base, and she is slow to get.

Up.

You get a really good look at the jump.

This throw it sails on Langenhorst but a good backup by Blauwet out in center field.

And you're right.

Netten just a little.

She's grabbing that shoulder.

Might have come in kind of hard into second base on that headfirst slide.

And they appeal.

If she left early.

Terry Jeffrey says no here.

So Netten will stay at second, and now she's going to flip over to the right side after she showed bunt on the first two pitches, the pitch from Hoff.

Langenhorst chases down Netten, throws behind, and that's going to be into center field, and that's going to be a run to tie the game.

Well, they just stole that run, is what they did right there.

And when you have a runner that comes out that far on second base and nobody was there, nobody was coming in to cover.

So she knew she had time to get back.

And then when they snuck in behind, you don't throw behind that runner because she is going to take off and go to third.

And that's exactly what she did.

And that smart baserunning.

And they stole that run right back.

Schnell from the left side again looks at a strike.

You want to run straight at that base runner and make her commit one way or the other.

And they didn't do that.

And she was able to bait them in to throwing behind her.

Comebacker to Hoff for the out Langenhorst is not a natural catcher.

She's going to likely play third when she goes to South Dakota State here in a month, doing whatever the team needs to play.

But Ben Solid, she's made great plays all tournament.

In fact, I think she did one of the exact same things that Van Meter did in the inning and throw down to to end a rally on a on a first third play.

So they have confidence in her to make defensive plays as well as Cali Richards, the catcher for Van Meter, now digs in and is ahead one.

Zero, and they were oh so close to picking off Net-net first base.

Yeah.

A game of inches, as we always talk about.

And that one was they get that throw in there and glove it cleanly.

She's out and they don't have another.

They don't have the runner on base to come around and score and tie it up.

Cali Richards Richards headed to Dmacc to study vet management waves the bat, looks in at the one one high Koch says high softball IQ.

Carly, her own person.

She has been a leader on this team for years.

The two one hit hard to Hoff, who snags that thing just out of self-defense It's one of pitchers wear those face masks because they occasionally they get a shot right back up the middle like that and ready to go.

She had that glove in position and it got on her in a hurry, but she got the glove up.

On Jersey Hawf left ear.

If it's on her right ear, it's a base hit.

That one makes the heart rate go up a little bit.

Yeah.

First pitch to Ava Hohenadel.

Got Is a ball two outs tied at one here in the first.

And Hohenadel looks down at coach Flaws.

Had the game winning RBI the other night in the semifinals.

Just pounded that ball into the ground.

They were able to push that run across to win it and move on.

447 on the season 11 home runs.

Has come up in a lot of situations with teammates on base.

She bats with the bases empty here in the first, but she's up three zero and that pitch is a strike Van Meter appears Laura to be a little more patient at the plate.

They're willing to work counts That pitch is out and it's ball four.

Oh, and online with a two out walk.

Base on balls for Hohenadel.

Well, we saw last night, you know, these pitchers have pitched.

This will be their third game in a short amount of time where Van Meter has split their pitching duties.

And so they have fresh arms in that dugout.

And so I think, you know, Van Meter can afford to be patient at the plate.

And they usually are a patient hitting team.

They're smart up there, the plate know what they're looking for and take their time.

Halle Karaidos 375.

This season.

Headed to Grandview.

You can see Hoff.

She's looking at that armband and she's shaking off the dugout saying, nope, I know what I'm throwing.

Well Right there.

It works.

And, you know, it's one of those things where as a pitcher, you know what stuff you're is working well for you on this particular day.

And if the coaches are calling something, you have the right to shake them off.

Boy, there's a shot right back up the middle.

That's going to be a hit for Karaidos.

Haley moves the runners up and joins her on base.

Two on with two outs here in the first.

To second.

That'll bring up the right fielder.

Number four.

Koch says she's tough with two strikes.

She just proved it there.

And it's Bianca Prickett now.

Also headed to Grandview.

You know being a good two strike hitter, that's just being a smart hitter and a situational hitter, knowing what to look for, maybe shorten up the swing a little bit.

And it's a strike first pitch known as a slapper, kind of full time.

And working or doing that this year.

Let's see what she can slap in here.

Down zero one.

There's really adjusted to that has gone full time to the slapping.

And it's kind of a difficult thing to learn.

But she's worked very hard on it and has become very good in that left side of the box The oh two coming to Prickett.

Fouls it away on a pitch, up and out.

But the slappers don't.

They like those higher pitches?

Isn't that something they want to hit You know?

Yes.

And I think because they can handle it, they can take it to the opposite field.

They just they just handle the bat so well that they can see the ball.

They can put it down.

They know kind of can get a good read of, do you lay it down?

Do you punch it through, can you drag it, see where the defense is playing.

They just know how to handle the bat.

The one two.

Misses.

And Jeff Osborne says it was out.

The two two now from Hoff.

Fouled away again.

Prickett two of four in the quarterfinal.

Had a hit in the semifinal.

Hit here would give her team the lead in the first.

Swing and a miss.

They'll throw down to first just to make sure the strikeout goes to three.

And that's the third out of the first inning.

Van Meter gets a run, though, to pull.

Even so, we're back to one one.

If you want to know how everyone fared in the tournament, well, here they are.

Van Meter beat East Marshall, then West Fork beat Durant, then West Lyon.

On the bottom side of that bracket, knocked out Cascade and Louisa-muscatine survived a late charge from West Monona before Van Meter and West Lyon advanced in the third place game.

Louisa-muscatine beat West Fork 5 to 3.

Jethro's barbecue.

And that is how the brackets fared.

And if you want to join us on Facebook and X, if you want to post something, use the hashtag Iowa PBS sports.

Send us a tweet.

An x, an Insta post.

Hop in on that conversation.

Look at everybody's busy in the stands posting.

Yep, they're like Laura Leonard is awesome!

Yet again.

And that's Leo Pretty sure you're not going to find that anywhere.

I know you're not going to find something else out here.

All right, so it's West Lyon Berentschot, Koch and Ciesielski do up one one as we move to the second here, the Wildcats and the Bulldogs.

Katelyn Berentschot And it's back to Annie Netten.

First pitch, high ball one.

We talked about Van Meter being that old young team and they are going to lose a lot of quality players.

A shot right back up the middle by Berenschot But they're going to be in good hands I think with this pitching staff that they have to build around next year after they graduate, all of their seniors.

So Van Meter is going to be a team that's going to have a nice little nucleus of pitching to, to start adding those extra pieces.

Have a sophomore, have an eighth grader.

A lot of veterans that have come and played in the state tournament here, well, hit to right.

And it is on the nose two right field Prickett catches throws it back in a little bit of a congested area there at first with Berentschot getting back as cook is retired on the fly out to right.

Nice good solid contact again.

And I think Prickett saw right away that Berenschot was off a little further and hustling to get back.

And you're right, there was a lot of traffic right over there by first base.

And now it's the freshman Jessa Ciesielski Had a home run in the quarterfinals, looks at a first pitch strike three for three in that quarterfinal Koch Severson clapping and encouraging.

Swing through on that one.

And now Ciesielski down.

Oh, and two.

She's a 257 hitter.

Really kind of came on here.

Second half of the year.

She's coming back from an ACL injury last year and swings at a pitch up and in for the first strikeout of the game for Annie Netten.

And the second out of the second.

This has got great location.

That one is really hard to catch up to, up and in, really hard to make any kind of contact with a pitch like that.

Netten will now face Lucy Doorneweerd.

Lays off the first one.

Here we go On the season a 347 hitter.

20 runs batted in.

Oh, trying to give her team the chance to take the lead back here in the second.

The one zero is a strike.

Appreciate it.

Coach says that she is.

A hitter at the plate at free and relaxed.

Very confident in that number nine spot.

That one was even closer to us.

I didn't flinch as much as I did on the last one.

That's because that one wasn't at you.

That one was.

I.

It almost got Chris right.

There.

Closer to me or him.

I think it was closer to me.

The one, two coming now from Netten.

Up high and Richards fakes the throw back down to Barrett.

Scott.

I don't know if you want to test Richards.

I think she's ready and itching to throw.

If you get a little too far off base.

Richards sister, Bailey, played for Van Meter when they won a title, went on to play collegiately, doing some coaching.

That pitch is fouled away.

Callie loves the game and as we talked about with her leadership and you know that catcher spot is always the natural leader.

Spot.

You are calling out plays.

You're always in on everything.

You just good to have veteran back there in control.

She flashes the sign to Netten.

That one's hit in the air.

Playable in center.

Getting the glove up and catching it is Katie Vaught.

And that is the inning for West Lyon.

They get one on, but they strand Byron Scott at first.

And next year this tournament, Laura is going to.

Look pretty different because the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union is going to the double elimination format.

The City of Fort Dodge is committed to enhancing Rogers Park to accommodate those changes.

Now, renovations over the next five years, they're going to be five championship fields and press boxes.

More parking, infrastructure changes.

The funding will come from the city, Iowa Central Community College and visit Fort.

That is a look at the what now we call the consolation diamonds.

Yankee Wrigley.

Fenway, where they play a lot of games earlier in the week, but not today.

They play here in the the other diamond for the consolation game, and it will look different and it'll be harder to it'll be different to cover.

There'll be more games.

But there's coaches that have told me, hey, it could be 10:00 on a Monday morning and by 1130 our season is done.

I don't know, what do you think of the double elimination?

I kind of like it.

I kind of like it.

That's, you know, what we see at the College World Series, and I, you know what?

I like the fact, yes, there's the the element of the fact that it's a one and done right now.

And you have to be playing your best softball.

You have to play your best softball all the time.

But if you get an opportunity to come back through a loser's bracket and come back into that championship game, I think that's kind of the trend.

And that's what we're seeing at the upper levels as well.

And and I do kind of like the fact that they're going to try it and see what happens.

And and, you know, what?

It it may be great.

And they continue on with it and it may not.

And they have to make adjustments.

Marah Karaidos one ball, one strike The pitch is swung on and missed.

All right.

I'm not going to totally poke a hole in your theory, but I'm going to just present this.

What about the Pella Dutch last nights four, a state champion, the eighth seed is a double elimination.

Hurt them, help them or help the.

Does it help the one seeds more than.

It helps the one seeds.

It helps the one seed.

I mean, because now the one seed gets an opportunity to play their way back through.

I mean, it didn't it wouldn't have affected the Pella Dutch in that eight seed because they just went boom, boom, boom.

All they did is win.

All they did was win.

And so they and I don't know, and this is something that we can ask Aaron Gerlach if you have to beat that team coming out of the loser's bracket twice.

And I don't think you do.

I think it's just going to be the winner coming out of that loser's bracket and playing the winner that has come all the way through the other bracket.

That's a great location on that pitch.

To Karaidos out on strikes.

It's now Alice Ruggles Pella Dutch win the softball championship and the baseball championship.

Then today.

And that pitch is off the plate to Alice Ruggles as we had a little bit of look at some of the ink up on her arm.

A lot of energy from this one, that's for certain No.

Everybody's got different meanings now.

He's got some that tied to a relative, some tied to a special moment, a little personal expression, maybe not quite.

What Carrie Evie had on last night.

And I know Brad talked a little bit about that during the broadcast.

And certainly a form of expression that is very popular right now and kind of fun to see what everybody comes up with as the count runs to three.

And oh, on Ruggles I'm kind of all for the ones that you can put on and then wash off later on.

That's that's kind of my style.

Not quite ready to commit.

Not ready to commit.

Walk down to first.

You're trying to set me up for the state fair tease already, aren't you?

I am, those are great.

Pick up all sorts of things that varied industries.

Netten Annie Netten now will bat the starting pitcher for this game.

The eighth grader.

One one here in the second Van Meter with one on one out.

You never know what'll be at the Iowa PBS booth.

Stop and see us just inside the north entrance.

A varied industries Maybe some tattoos.

Maybe some tattoos You better save some of those for me.

All right, I can do that.

You can.

You can sleeve up.

I know there's also a couple of cool things that are going to be there.

I don't think I'm supposed to say what's at the booth yet.

You just have to come by and see us.

The two.

Oh, but let's just say it's championship worthy at.

The booth.

Good.

Enough of a tease.

Oh, yeah.

And it's not.

But it's not.

It's not something made out of chocolate.

You need.

You do need a little bit of a break, though, from eating at the fair.

So that's a good place to stop.

The two.

One is bunted down.

Nice one.

Netten is going to be safe at first run.

Gets away, runs into right.

This is going to score a run.

Here comes Ruggles the throw cut off at third.

Annie Netten a bunt and she drives in a run.

Two one Van Meter.

The bunt is laid down perfectly and the throw just gets away from Ciesielski all the way out into right field and you keep them going.

Two one.

And Ruggles comes in to score and Netten standing over there at third.

Two one.

The defending champs have a lead Shortstop.

Second error of the game charged.

To West Lyon.

So the future you and I Panther Finley Netten up the sister of Annie.

Netten wants to study elementary ed She's a state track champion.

Three sport athlete.

Really wants to make the most of it.

She asks for time and steps away.

Looks down again at the signs at James Flaws.

The game goes long enough.

We may do floors, family trivia.

If you can name everybody in that family, the coaches, softball chopper off the chest of Childress.

She blocked it.

And another run scores for Van Meter Netten comes home on the ball, put in play by Finley This one was so hard hit and it just glances off the shoulder of Childress.

She got there, but that ball kind of had some funny spin.

Went off of her shoulder and it was going to be tough to throw out Netten anyway.

Maddie Schnell now shows.

Bunt pulls it back.

They're going to throw down to second and going back to first is Finley Netten that time Langenhorst threw in front of the runner to push her back, and now all of a sudden, Van Meter might just be shifting into another gear as they try to speed things up here a little bit.

They averaged ten runs a game and they only give up right around two, so they're a team that can explode at any moment and put a ton of runs up on the board, and they do such a good job on the base pass.

They really bait that defense into throwing at them, throwing behind them, making them make that throw.

And that's what Netten is trying to do over at first base The two.

Zero Netten running the throw.

Good one gets by.

And now Van Meter has another run in scoring position on the three zero count.

Kind of a double edged sword over there at shortstop.

Childress having to stay in her position but trying to get over to second base to cover somebody as quick as Netten.

So you're trying to stay as long as you can in position, but as soon as you see her going, you've got to release and get over there.

And that is so hard to time.

The two one is hit in the air right around the plate.

Langenhorst throws the mask, reaches up, makes the play for out number two.

Langenhorst doing a great job of locating right away.

Got rid of the mask in the perfect position facing the ball as it was coming down.

Pulled it in.

Catcher Cali Richards.

Now Richards they throw to third in behind and they just keep.

They were ready for that because Richards came up.

She was going to step into the left side batter's box.

Koch had her turn around, go to the right side.

He likes to do that.

Put that runner or the hitter on the right side to block the vision and give the runner a little bit of an advantage But West Lyon was ready for that.

And now Richards is down to her last strike here.

The oh two coming to Cali Richards from Jersey Hawf.

The pitch high and again Finley just again, I see this in youth softball a lot.

This type of action.

And you are you.

If you can make good plays you can sometimes get that out.

One, two on the way, hit at short fielding.

It is Childress across the diamond gets the out.

But not before Van Meter gets another run Yeah, it's three one as we finish up here in the second.

Here we go.

Just two errors, one left.

On.

But the two errors might be a little harder to overcome.

But good pitching so far from Annie Netten.

What are you seeing here, Laura?

Boy, look at that stretch that she has as she comes off the rubber.

And then different grips, different spin on the ball for being an eighth grader.

She's got a lot of pitches and she's going to be good as she gets a little bit older and a little bit stronger.

Well, just want to let you know on August 24th at 2 p.m. At the Iowa PBS studios in Johnson, we're going to have a special event to celebrate the 50th season of Market to Market.

We we will be there.

The whole team will host a live Mtom podcast discussion will be in the Maytag Auditorium.

You can visit with some of the programs, market analysts talking through the years of the program.

Visit iowapbs.org for more details.

Look forward to seeing you there.

On August 24th.

Going to have a fun program.

And the 50th season.

Look, backs have been a lot of fun this year.

Laura.

Hard to believe.

You know, Saturday Night Live, market to market.

You know it's all the same thing 1970.

Think of them as one in the same.

Yeah yeah yeah.

Our first host, Dan Aykroyd.

Of you say you've been there for all 50 years of that market to.

Market.

I know, but coming up on 15 years with the program, five is host.

So Brooke Kohlsdorf in today and you can watch that show if you missed it.

You won't see it on our air because we have softball.

But you can watch it online on Iowa PBS or on our YouTube channel there, I think I think I crossed all of the promotional thresholds right there.

Laura.

That's why you're the host.

Yes, traffic cop, as I like to call it sometime.

And right now it's sped up a little bit.

Let's see what West Lyon can do is they give up a couple of runs and a couple of errors there in the second, and it's top of the order.

Ella Langenhorst.

She holds the school's career record in home runs.

She's going to be a jackrabbit.

Let's see what she does with the bat this time.

That one's up at her head.

She ducks down for ball two.

Langenhorst Laura.

When we had a chance to talk to her after the semifinal game, you know, emotion is all part of things.

But she was very caught up in this.

I can't believe we're in the state championship moment.

I mean, there was a lot going on in her mind.

I think.

I think it affects these players differently.

I think some have built up an expectation in their mind of what it would be like when they get to that championship game, and I think a lot of times it exceeds what they have even envisioned or dreamt about.

When they get up to Fort Dodge and have the opportunity to play for a state championship, and we ask them all the time how, you know, what are your thoughts?

How do you feel about this?

And oh.

Nice play by Netten across, but not in time to get a hustling Langenhorst that will make the emotions feel a little bit better.

Can leg that.

Out and Ruggles is hurt.

She went down into complete splits and hopefully she didn't pull anything as she was trying to stretch out to receive that throw.

And this is a great play up the middle.

Netten gets that from her knees and then look at the stretch there.

By Ruggles 22.

Courtesy for the catcher.

So Bella Kramer will come in.

Wow Oh, and just couldn't glove it cleanly.

Otherwise they would have had her And I think she needs to walk that one off that.

Good.

Oh, if you can walk.

If you can.

Now you know that it's a hustle.

It's going to have to give her a moment.

I think I saw you stretching like that before we went on air.

Got to keep the blood flowing, you know, that's what they, you know, keep moving, keep stretching.

That's one of those things you do, you do at position.

Do have to sometimes have that flexibility to do that exact play.

And you're right.

And I think you practice it and but you don't have to break it out very often.

And when you do you might not be as stretched out as you think you are.

But she seems to be okay.

But that one, that one is certainly going to stretch all the muscles and the tendons and the ligaments, and she may feel that tomorrow.

Yeah.

Might not hurt as much if they win.

That's not going to hurt at all.

If they win.

The pitch to Blauwet is high for a ball.

Leah Blauwet had a single back in the first, scored the first run for West Lyon.

Come on.

She grabs on that light blue and gray batting gloves.

That pitch is high.

Dare I say baby blue?

Yeah, I think you can.

And then the pink bow.

You got to have the pink.

You know what a lot of these teams have incorporated the color from the Girls Union of Pink into their wardrobe, into their uniforms.

The three zero is a strike And Netten battles back.

Pink bows, pink ribbons, towels, shoes, socks bases.

Glitter.

Glitter.

Glitter.

Bomb.

The three.

One.

That one is a ball And there's two aboard.

Now for Jersey Hawf.

Time.

Ready to go?

Balls Kramer moves to second.

That'll bring up the pitcher jersey.

Now you're kind of in a little bit of a dilemma here.

Blauwet dancing down there.

At first she was excited to be there.

What's your what's your dilemma?

Well, you've got Jersey Hawf.

Up.

Got nobody out.

You got runners first and second.

Do you want to move those runners?

Do you want to give up a hitter as good as Hawf to move two runners into scoring position, let her swing away.

Being that you have one runner in scoring position.

She's third in the two AA qualifiers in RBI.

I think you're going to.

But if it if it was three two and we were in the sixth, I think it's different.

I think.

Of the third.

You're probably swinging away.

Maybe.

Pitches off the plate or gets you to chase.

You're not supposed to put me in these hard pickles.

That's what I do to you.

Just directing traffic here.

To the three or the one?

One is hit high in the air, deep to left up, over.

And out.

That's a three.

Run homer for Jersey Hawf.

That's why you don't butter right there, right?

That's why you don't bunt.

Her.

Let her swing away.

And she produces No doubt off the bat, a Jersey Hawf got the hands extended the bat head out and all Maddie Schnell could do was just say hi to the fans in left field as they chase that ball down to give to her parents.

Oof.

That's a good shot.

Not the biggest one we've seen all week, but it doesn't matter.

It just has to get over the fence.

But that one sounded really good coming off the bat.

And you knew the minute she connected it had distance.

So Jersey Hawf three run home run here in the third.

I have a feeling we'll see that again before this broadcast is through, and we'll show you highlights later on.

Reese Kramer now in for West Lyon one for one and a single.

As the clouds plenty overcast here, these blues are popping green grass.

We've had a lot of rain up here this week.

Parking lots a little wet.

The golf course where they hold state cross country flooded yesterday.

They couldn't play golf in the morning.

We got a circle.

I think that's going to be it for Annie Netten.

Oh, I'm not keeping the score.

You guys good?

We're good Right now.

And it looks like Van Meter is going to go with Bianca Prickett.

The senior is going to get an opportunity to pitch here.

Ooh, looks really good coming in.

Pitcher comes across well.

Van Meter has done it all season long with multiple pitchers.

They have not really gone with one the entire season.

They have used multiple arms.

And there's Aaron Gerlach delivering the home run ball to the proud parents.

They are very close to our eyesight, so been watching them.

Put that one on the mantle.

Hey, text that text the mom and dad there and say they were on TV.

That is right.

He is the one that.

Yes, he's the one that keeps their book for them.

I did notice that earlier this week.

Yeah, I saw him in the semifinals.

That's right dad.

Yeah An important part.

Yeah.

Look, he's on TV.

Prickett blow up his phone.

That's what's fun.

All right, so now it'll be Bianca Prickett.

She's a senior.

This is her eighth appearance on the season.

She's thrown 17 innings, giving up four earned runs an E.R.A.

Of 1.65, walked one, struck out five.

Her record is four zero with a save Big moment, though.

Right now for Prickett down four three.

But you could I was going to say it earlier.

I just didn't think that any of the Van Meter pitchers were going to get a lot of leash Speed.

Right?

And they haven't all tournament long.

They've each gone a couple of different innings and now there's an error to start things off as Prickett comes in.

First pitch hit by Reese Kramer.

Another error in this contest And we talked about errors Laura.

And it's like it's state tournament.

Usually you don't see them, but one coach said you know just sometimes there's a lot of nerves.

And just.

Just a lot of different factors.

And I said in that conversation I go, you just got to remember these girls that you're facing at the state tournament can crush the ball.

It is flying when it comes at you.

I mean, you're playing some really good players that can swing the bat very hard, and it gets to you quickly.

And yes, I agree, there's nerves.

You're playing for.

A state title and you may not be as relaxed as you normally are throughout the season.

But sometimes something like that might shake you loose, make you shake the cobwebs out of your head, and then you kind of come back and great.

Two great pitches by Prickett.

And Childress just.

Caught up on that changeup.

So when you say, Laura, 17 inning pitch, why would you go with somebody with less experience?

Not a lot of tape on her.

Not a lot of at bats to.

Study.

There's a strategy there to the one, two.

Off the plate Richards tried to frame that.

She did a great sales job trying to get her pitcher that first out of the inning.

And Childress will have another chance here.

The two two coming.

Changeup hit to short or to second.

Karaidos gets one.

They get the lead runner, which is Kramer on the fielder's choice Kramer out at second on the force round.

Number one.

That'll bring up first baseman.

So that's just the first out of the inning.

Though.

Three already in for West Lyon here in the third.

First pitch hit right at Karaidos know the throw is too late.

No chance on a double clutch chopper.

Second So Baron Scott, but we did have a we did have the force out.

Sorry.

I promise I'm paying attention.

Good job.

By Karaidos.

So immediately set the feet turned and was going to go to third or second to get the force.

Made a great throw and they almost turned that double play.

So Baron Scott on with a fielder's choice.

There's a look at Mallorie Koch.

The oh one that's low.

And now what could have been a ridiculously large inning for West Lyon is now down to one on with two.

Outs.

Couple of great defensive plays to help out Prickett that pitch is up and in.

Hit it third again.

They go across the diamond Karaidos to Ruggles out number three.

And what could have been a big inning was still big.

West Lyon gets a three run homer by Jersey Hawf.

They score three runs and take A43 lead here in the third.

For the Wildcats.

Who being patient, don't don't worry about score one pitch at a time, okay?

Win that at bat.

Win whatever pitch it is one of the best dogs on three, 123.

Win the at bat.

That is easier said than done and it's always a challenge.

Jersey Hawf here in the circle.

What have we seen so far in her in slow mo?

Laura well, the whip of the arm boy she gets a great spin.

You can see her try to manipulate that ball and the way she turns it over knocked, almost knocked her face mask off.

She gets such great extension with that arm.

It comes right up over her ear.

Sometimes sets that face mask a little askew.

Due up for Van Meter.

Hohenadel, Karaidos and Prickett.

That is four, five and six.

As you look at the on deck circle, which is just to our left for the home team.

As Jeff Osborne clears that plate, we give him the thumbs up.

He says, all right, let's play ball On Friday afternoon, as we are just past 6:00.

What fast pace we had in the first game.

Laura has been left behind.

This one is this one's a little more of a grind.

This one I think you know, probably the same amount of base runners except in that first game they just scored them quicker.

They just got them around the bases a lot quicker.

Where this has been a little bit more methodical and moving runners around and and getting them to home plate, except for the home run, right.

Hohenadel who's going to Bryant and Stratton College?

I had to look up where that was.

And it's in Buffalo, New York.

Oh.

I had Wisconsin.

I think there's a satellite in Wisconsin.

Oh, I think you know what?

I think you might be right on that.

But I don't know.

I mean, there's multiple there's multiple schools that you could find.

I looked I did some searching too, but Wisconsin seemed a little bit more logical.

But hey, anything's.

Possible regardless.

She's a great teammate.

Wherever she ends up.

Drove in that game winning run against West Fork.

Hot passion for the game.

And now.

Trying to get this third going on the right foot for the Bulldogs of Van Meter.

Pitch is high and leaving it up at two balls and two strikes.

Now.

Hohenadel has had a really nice tournament seeing the ball very well, coming up in clutch situations has responded, hit the ball out of the park.

She just does what coach asked her to do was, as we mentioned, hit the game winning hit to knock in the game winning run and all she did was take a nice swing at it and pound it into the ground and got a high hopper to score the run.

That is the fourth walk issued by Jersey Hawf.

And we're going to have the flex for the DP coming in here for Van Meter, which means Katie Vaught is going to run for Hohenadel.

Now running at first for Hohenadel.

And then we'll likely have the reentry would be my guess.

Is a pinch.

Runner.

But I don't want to guess because the last time I guess I don't know, we wouldn't have we wouldn't have pitched to Hoff, would.

We Right?

No, that was me.

I said.

I said, maybe we should bunt.

Her.

For four.

Three is our score zero?

One is our count.

Maybe if we would.

Maybe the next level production as we put, you know, they've got the pitch.

Com for the catchers.

We put in the batters.

We talked to them during the game.

And then if we would have said bunt she would have hit that, turned around and looked at and told.

Us bat, flip and bunt.

You know, when Van Meter gets on base, they're going to try to to make things happen.

They're going to try to get you to throw chase them, run at them, try to induce that error if they can.

They're going to try anything they can to cause a little chaos.

Induce what a word to use for the Van Meter coaching staff Yeah.

Because their first base coach, Hillary Uhlman, is less than a week away from delivering a baby, and she has been at first base every inning here.

Because if your team scores, you stay out.

Otherwise, Josh Flaws and her rotate, they score a run, you stay, and she's been out there as the pop up to Ciesielski is putting Karaidos out.

So.

Jessa Ciesielski.

How do you like that stress?

You get married or you're having a baby?

It's one of those two.

We've had it all here at the state tournament this year.

And I mean, she's she's close.

I mean, I talked to Coach Flaws and he said, yeah, I mean could be could be on Friday.

Yeah it could be next week.

But she's close.

I said, well we could have a first, first tournament baby.

And if you're looking at Hillary Uhlman going she looks familiar.

She won a state title as a player for Carlisle.

Will give birth to her second child, hopefully at the end of this game.

Not during this game.

She's a Stem teacher in the school We've had a couple of coaches that were expecting here this week.

In fact, we had one game where it was two expecting mothers against each other.

The one one coming to Bianca Prickett, who's now the pitcher of record.

For Van Meter, one on, one out, bottom of the third.

Jersey Hawf looks in, checks the forearm, doesn't shake that off.

Winds and fires.

Swing and a.

Miss gets.

Nope.

Going to say foul.

Going to say foul.

Called right away as it squirted away from Langenhorst.

Just got a piece of that one.

Put in play to short Childress takes the lead runner out on the toss to Ciesielski two away.

The jersey.

Got out at second on the fielder's choice.

That one kind of took a high hop right into Childress chest, and she was able to grab that turn and threw to a spot, hoping that Ciesielski would be there.

And she was to get the force The pitch to Marah Karaidos misses.

Oh, for one today, playing third.

Calm.

Cool Let's see what she does on one zero.

That one's high.

Here we go.

Maybe they take a chance here.

Steal a base.

Try to get a runner in scoring position.

Try to.

Put a little pressure on West Lyon.

That pitch is a strike.

That like to watch the coaches that still do it the old way.

Give the signals with the indicator and touch the earlobe.

And Whatever shot into right for Karaidos that's going to move the runner to third.

And Van Meter always threatening.

Now, with two outs and two on Base hit for Karaidos.

Right back up the middle and you can see Prickett as she's getting close to second.

She picks up Coach flaws and he's winding her around telling her to come over to visit him at third base.

And now runners at the corners.

Here we go There's a look at Prickett.

I'm trying to figure out what is that pounding.

It's one of the Van Meter players pounding a softball into the dugout right in front of our microphone.

I could not figure out what that noise was.

The for the the pitch is out of the plate.

Four three is our score here in the.

Third.

Ruggles a run scored on a walk and a splitz at first.

That pitch is out and they're just going to concede the base and Karaidos is at second.

No throw.

Let's go.

Ruggles no stranger to the bunt.

Let's see if you squeeze the two.

Outs.

You come back on a strike from Jersey Hawf.

That's what you do if you're West Lyon and they do just that.

Well, needless to say, this is a huge at bat here for Ruggles.

And that's a.

Strike.

And she didn't think so.

It was on the outer part of the plate, but came with a little authority and a little speed behind it.

Ruggles puts the bat on her shoulder, kicks it up in the air.

The two two pitch hit in the.

Air., going back to grab.

It is Baron Scott for the third out.

So a couple of runners left on base for Van Meter as we go to the fourth.

Four three.

West Lyon in the lead in class two, a.

Three.

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Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. And Saturday at 9 a.m. West Lyon 463 leads Van Meter 331.

Right now the difference is a three run homer by Jersey Hawf.

Speaking of a home run, Jessa Ciesielski hit one back on Tuesday.

Comes up to bat here in the fourth.

First pitch is hit on a line to Finley Netten.

Oh, that's one out of her glove.

And she caught it barehanded, so she was in the right spot.

And a big smile.

Had to go down to a knee.

And boy, that hit in the glove and popped out quickly grabbed it with the bare hand.

That's a great play.

Great awareness.

Yup.

There it is.

That was not on the transfer.

And another hard hit.

And another line drive.

Catch Lucy Doorneweerd hit it on the nose to Karaidos.

Two pitches, two.

Outs They're hitting it right on the nose, but right at the defenders.

Karaidos gloves it.

Two to the left side.

And I think West Lyon is starting to time the pitching of Prickett.

Even though she's been in for a short amount of time, they're starting to tee off on her.

They're getting some good solid cuts.

Two outs in the fourth.

Ellen Ella Langenhorst hits a pop up on the first pitch.

Three pitch inning.

Makes it look easy.

West Lyon in their half of the fourth.

For Prickett the lion or the West Lyon goes one, two, three.

And now Van Meter will come back up to bat.

You know what we're going to do?

Should we just requeue the inning?

Show you all three pitches.

Pretty easy.

So quick.

Three pitches, three outs.

That's the kind of inning that you want to have.

Get your team back up to the plate see if you can get some runners on.

Hold on, hold on.

Cause havoc on the base paths.

We have.

Sorry.

I was like, Alexis Severson joins us now, coach.

All right.

Big hit there from Jersey Hawf.

Yes.

Big hit.

What what did you hear when you when when you when she made contact on that play.

Yeah.

You know it's funny her bat broke two days ago.

And so she's using a brand new bat.

And I was giving her flak this morning to see if she would be able to hit it farther than what she has been all year.

And I told her that as she was rounding the bases, that this was a pitch that she she's seen all year, and she took it over the fence.

So did she hit it farther?

I think so.

Okay.

Yeah.

What do you think of her in the circle?

She's.

She's doing great.

Yeah.

She's staying poised, staying confident in herself, which she's been doing all year.

She wants that ball in the circle.

And that's exactly where we need her to be.

Coach thank you so very much.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Alexis Severson head coach for West Lyon for the Wildcats.

Their 30 and one.

Bat broke two days ago.

Yeah.

How come they didn't when we're talking to them.

Why didn't they give us that inside information.

That would have been new things to turn around and say.

Oh I broke my bat by the way.

Well, she told us., now.

Now we.

Know.

Now we know.

Maybe that was why the team was at one of the sporting goods stores in town.

That could.

Be.

Got to find a bat.

Nowadays.

These bats, I'm telling you, they're.

I mean, they aren't the old wooden bats that we used to play with.

These are very expensive pieces of equipment.

And you really become attached to your bat.

I mean, it's one of those things.

So when you break it, it's kind of devastating.

Annie Netten grounds it hard to Barrett Scott, who smothers it with every part of her body for the unassisted out Number one.

Out So Annie's out.

That means Findlay's.

Up.

Netten running down that first base line, trying to beat that one out and hit the bag.

Kept going Almost ran over Terry Giuffredi, the umpire over there at first base.

He stood his ground, though.

Is that why you yelled, Gio?

Look out!

Yeah I did, I like Gio.

First pitch, swing and foul by Finley Netten.

We'll hear from coach floors after this.

Inning.

He's done the mid-game interview before last year.

State title game.

Done it before the team a couple of years ago.

Back in 2016.

I say couple of years ago, nine years ago.

Already.

That pitch to.

Go is their third straight title game.

Yeah.

Won it last year.

Runner up.

In.

23.

That year.

Regina won When Regina went back to.

Back.

Van Meter is on a gets a 24 game winning streak.

24 game winning streak.

And West Lyon had their own streak.

Yeah.

Started the year with 22 wins.

That's a.

That's a that's that's not easy.

In this day and age of softball no it's not easy to to have put together a winning streak like that.

And.

When you start the season like that you know you have something special brewing and kind of start looking forward.

Netten got a hold of that one gets over the head of Doorneweerd Netten is digging for third.

She's going to make it standing.

Up.

And that was a.

Rocket by Finley Netten.

Time.

Well, she is the one at the top of the lineup that certainly can get things jump for her team.

Just over the head of Doorneweerd and Netten cruises into third base.

Now give that a triple.

Again, back with the hard hitting balls.

It just boom it's.

Over you.

I mean, even in the outfield, it's moving fast.

When these players connect and get full barrel on ball, they hit it and spun.

We just saw that one fly to right field and it got out there so quickly that even though you get a good jump on it, it's hard to catch up to those.

Mady Schnell third at bat here comes with one out shows bunt, gets it down, gets it to the pitcher.

Hoff off balance throw gets away from covering it.

First one runs already in and a runner at second base is going to be Maddie Schnell.

So we're tied at four and a runner at second and still just one out for Van Meter This play got away from everybody in a hurry Right away.

And you've got the speed at third base.

So not surprising that they went to the squeeze as Netten was moving on the pitch and was perfectly laid down by Schnell.

And once they realized they weren't going to get the run at home.

And that's a hit up the middle by Cali Richards waving around and scoring with Schnell.

And just like that, Van Meter has the lead.

Back.

Cali Richards with a big.

Hit.

Going to courtesy for the catcher.

Get the courtesy runner now in.

Right back up the middle.

Good swing.

That was a good location of that pitch.

And Richards did a good job of going out after it and driving it right back up the middle.

And if you think about the play before, if they would have just picked up that squeeze play bunt and not thrown it, runner still would have been on first base, not on second, and you wouldn't have had that.

This extra run score here in this inning, you'd have runners at first and third.

You don't think they would have gotten there at first on a clean catch or a clean throw?

I don't think so.

Okay I think I don't think it had enough on it.

It was an off balance throw.

Yeah that's true.

It was.

You're right.

Hoff did kind of go tried to make that off balance throw.

Ava Hohenadel up.

And she crushes it over the head of Reese Kramer in the left field.

That was.

Hard hit to And all of a sudden, Van Meter fans there making some noise there.

Bulldogs are on the prowl That's the way she's been hitting the ball all tournament long.

Karaidos They're starting to see the pitches.

That one was a great level swing.

Just turned on it and drove it, and that was one that got to Kramer so quickly she couldn't even get the glove.

Up.

Bunt showed on the changeup pitch to Halle Karaidos.

And now I feel like we're back to the pace of that first game.

All of a sudden we're hitting first pitches and we're lining things on rockets all over the field.

The oh one is fouled back into the screen.

Two wins so far for the Bulldogs.

They take the lead back here in the fourth.

Each team has had the lead twice Right now it's advantage Van Meter swing and a.

Miss Karaidos out on strikes Second strikeout of the game for Hoff.

Excuse me.

Out.

Number two.

Pitcher Bianca Prickett.

If you're West Lyon, you want to keep it right here That one run deficit, not let any more come in.

Slaps it up into left for a base hit.

They're going to wave around a run and gets away from cook in left field.

The throw to.

Third.

And it's another RBI or it's another run driven in Bianca Prickett this time gets the honors.

For Prickett.

Come in to pitch and now she's come in to help herself by knocking in another run.

Third baseman Six for Van Meter ahead of West Lyon Still two outs.

Changeup goes high.

Beautiful Van Meter Put three on the board so far here in this.

Inning.

Still threatening with runners at second and first.

Hohenadel.

We're going to have a conference.

I think he's outside.

You love that pitch, right.

Front side down.

Get into it.

Put your hands back and drive it right side will score if you do that.

All right.

Hard ground ball up the middle to work to.

All right.

Be confident.

Trust your eyes.

Okay.

Fastballs only go.

Hey.

Ready wants her to take it to the right side.

Let that ball get in a little bit further and then take it to the right side, said, trust your eyes.

See that ball?

Trust your eyes.

I like that.

The one.

One.

Hits the fastball to the right side, but it is right at Lucy Doorneweerd.

Big inning, big, big inning for Van Meter.

They get three, so they answer the punch from West Lyon on the three pitch inning goes so quickly for West Lyon at the bat.

It gets pretty long for Van Meter and Koch.

James Flaws joins us and coach.

That's that's a heck of an inning right there.

You just put.

Together what.

Worked what a good pitches.

We jumped on the first pitch that was grooved I think a little bit.

So we did a good job hitting that first pitch hard, hitting where it was pitch, hit it hard on lines and on the ground.

So that was a big inning for us.

And well, and go back to, you know, in the circle, you make the change.

You get a three pitch inning that has to give your new pitcher confidence.

Yeah.

And it gets our defense engaged a little bit.

They were kind of not engaged there for a little bit.

I felt like the first the first couple innings and they're having to lock in a little bit more.

And I felt like he's doing a really good job changing speeds and moving up and down the zone.

All right coach.

Thank you.

So much.

Appreciate the time.

Yeah thank you.

James Flaws 14th year as a head coach 12th at Van Meter Should we do it now.

Should we do the family tree now?

I need to.

Put this I need.

I need to put this in graphic form.

All right.

So the assistant coach for James is his cousin Josh.

He has another cousin Justin.

That's a coach.

Justin Koch is at Carlisle with father Jim.

Jim now remember I could name you all the floors here if you want.

They grew up in Webster City except for the next generation James Generation.

They grew up in Carlisle and coaches at Carlisle.

Still father, cousin It's very weird that there's not a team with a floors here at state up the middle.

Go West Lyon Leah Blauwet with a base hit to get things going.

And that is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Wildcats.

But it's you know, if it's not Carlisle or now Van Meter, it's sometimes somebody else that you get to see in common teams.

And it's fun to see some of these teams that are great programs.

Laura.

There's so many of them in Iowa, which makes this tournament fun to.

Watch.

Well, I think that you also have not only the family trees that have branched out, but you have a lot of former players that have come back to coach.

And whether it's coaching at their alma mater or coaching at a different school, but they have had success as well.

And that's the thing that I think is so great is that a lot of these former players want to come back and be a part of Iowa girls softball Jersey Hawf let's see if she gets a good pitch here on one zero.

That one's low.

The previous pitch, Blauwet was able to get down to second.

And we we've had a few coaches here this week, Laura, that are like, I remember when you played, I remember when you played and now there they are coaching here and they know what the experience is.

Alexis Severson for heaven's sakes, she the West Lyon coach, she played.

Here for Boyden-hull Rock Valley.

Three balls, no strikes.

Three zero to Jersey Hawf here in the.

Fifth.

That is a strike right down the middle from Prickett.

Six four is our score.

Van Meter The three one is again.

Good pitch from Prickett.

And now, with three balls and two strikes.

Leah Blauwet at second.

Jersey Hawf at the plate.

Her last at bat was a three run homer.

Can she get a two run homer with that new bat or new to her bat?

She calls time, which gives us an opportunity to say, hey., boss.

How you doing?

Good.

How are you doing?

Oh, I.

Can't hear you, though.

Let's see if they have.

Do we have enough?

Say hello.

Hello.

Here we are.

There we are.

Ground ball hit at Karaidos.

She throws across the diamond, gets Hoff by a step.

Now they're going to throw across and not get the run.

Hoff is out on a good play by Karaidos to Ruggles Blauwet moves up.

All right Aaron, this tournament been a little warm this week, but the action has been pretty hot, don't you.

Think Yeah, we've been hot all the.

Way through.

Yeah.

It's good.

Took a couple of days where you had some breaks just to make sure everybody's okay.

Yep.

Following heat protocol, there.

Yeah.

Overall, how would you grade this tournament so far.

Oh you know, I think we're solid B+ solid B+ right now.

I think, you know, never get too far ahead of our skis.

Want to make sure that we get across the finish line before we do the final grade.

The the first pitch to Reese Kramer is a.

Ball.

You have an eight seed with a win.

Yeah.

That's wild Cinderella story, right?

Everybody loves that.

Then you have the number one seed coming.

Extra innings.

Yep.

Then you had a back to back to back champion.

Yeah.

And and and Aaron as the this is your second tournament as director.

Of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union.

Softball tournament.

Yeah.

So we're I don't know if I'm veteran status yet but I think I'm out of my rookie year I guess at least for this year.

Veteran in year 1 to 2.

What's been the biggest change for you?

Oh gosh.

For the softball tournament alone.

Sure.

We'll just we'll stick with that.

I think, you know, the things that I think I was nervous about or worried about last year, not so much about this year.

So no, we love coming here.

It's been another fantastic week.

And you know, when we have the staff that we have, which we've had some staff changes and we've added some new people to the mix, which has been amazing.

So bringing some new faces here, as far as you know, that are wearing our logo has been really fun.

And introducing them to the good things up here in Fort Dodge.

That's probably a bigger change.

And you have this new, let's see if I can get it to the right camera.

The Iowa Girl Foundation established.

And tell me about that.

Well, I mean, Laura could probably tell you about that too.

Laura.

Laura is a board member.

And so that's that's been a really fun project.

I think last year I teased it a little or, you know, Laura was asking me something about we were something that we were excited about to to roll out this year.

And the Iowa Girl Foundation has come to fruition.

So that was something going into it that, you know, I thought we could probably make some headway and get done.

And we've done it.

We rolled it out.

The announcement this year.

Two balls and a strike to Reese Kramer come back to you here in a moment.

That one's hit high in the air.

Staying on the infield.

Karaidos goes over and makes the grab for the second.

Out of the inning.

So is the foundation a long term thing to help the organization or what is it mostly going to do?

Yeah.

So we've talked about, you know, we're coming up on our 100th year anniversary of our organization and the existence of that.

And so we're talking about what do we want to do for our next 100 years.

Right.

So some, you know, some foundational blocks that we're setting up for the next 100 years to come.

So with that, the Iowa Girl Foundation is going to go and take over our existing scholarships that we've got and really try to build on some of those things.

We've got our empowering the Iowa Girl program, where we go into schools, we give resources to to coaches and to programs for free to schools.

So that's something that we've been partnering with Drake and the Ray center on, and we're really proud of that.

So all of those things, obviously those are those cost money for us to be able to do our future champions clinics that we put on so that we've got a laundry list of of items that we currently do that will move over to towards the foundation.

But really, for us to be able to build and to reach more girls, because we know that there are great leaders out there that don't make it to our state tournaments.

So what is the Iowa girl mean to them?

Well, Braylyn Childress getting her first opportunity to play here at a ball and a strike.

The pitch coming from Prickett here, we just before you came in, we were talking about Alexis Severson.

She's one of those coaches this week that's here that has played in the tournament and now is coaching a team here in the tournament.

When you see that, what does that mean.

To you?

Yeah, I mean how how much more full circle can something like that get right.

So we've had a lot of great stories.

You know, yesterday when we were inducting our Hall of Famers and they're standing around and they're talking about all of these moments that they've had up here at Harlan Rogers Park.

So I think for this to, again, another generation and they can see it from another lens that that's really awesome.

So we love hearing those stories.

We love welcoming our Iowa girls back in other ways and and seeing them either officiate Koch be the mothers of players.

I think that there's a lot of full circle moments that that happen up here at Harlan.

Rogers ground ball from Karaidos to Ruggles is the out for the third.

Real quick, you have another job.

I'll let you.

I have one more thing because I have to say, Aaron's been busy.

Have you seen.

We saw you just a minute ago.

Hand one of those home run balls into the stands.

Yes, yes, that was the the first home run on our championship fields so far in our series.

But yes, that's something that we love to do.

Last year it felt like a home run derby.

So now we're kind of we've been waiting and waiting and watching.

But you know, a lot of our other fields, we've had five Grand Slams in this tournament, which has been unheard of insane.

But I think we're due for some of those here on our championship field so we can deliver those.

All right.

Aaron, thank you so very much for joining us.

Appreciate it.

Appreciate you guys.

Thanks so much for the coverage.

We love you guys.

Thank you so much.

We got to sing and stretch with Tim Fitzpatrick.

Back forward through.

Root root for the.

Win.

It's a shame for it's three strikes.

You're out at the home ball.

Game Hey nice job of singing.

Who's out there.

To for.

Van Meter.

Okay so.

I don't want.

To I'm just curious.

West Lyon Hi.

Good job of singing.

Good job of cheering, folks.

For Aaron and we.

Good game.

Going because they don't know.

They don't know the answer to that question yet.

Laura.

Still lots of things to always moving here at the tournament.

Home run balls fifth inning stretch.

Good softball.

The Iowa girl Foundation, which I think is going to be really fantastic when it gets rolling.

And as she said, they just announced that.

And I think it's going to help empower the Iowa girl even more than what the girls union does.

And I think get a lot of our high school athletes and girls involved in a lot of different areas through that foundation.

And you are on the board.

I am Aaron called and I said, sure, I would love to be a part of that.

And because I just I think it's a great way to I think the state of Iowa and in our athletics has always been premier and 510 steps above anybody else in the country.

I think we elevate our girls athletes and our girls sports, and I think this is just another way to bring it to another level.

And just I think the girls union is always looking for ways to continue to promote women's athletics and make it even better than what it is already.

Alice Ruggles fouls one off to the side, a ball and two strikes here in the fifth.

See what type of Iowa girl legacy that Ruggles can contribute to.

Her team is up six four.

Off speed, pitch is hit into left one, hop out to.

Cook and the leadoff hitter again on for Van Meter And it's up to Annie Netten now to move things along.

And I think we're going to have a substitution here.

One for 18.

And it is going to be Ashlan Small is going to pinch run for Ruggles.

For Ruggles at first base.

And Laura, I have noticed the wind has kind of left us.

It is still very humid, very still, but the sun is still back behind.

We're getting.

A here we go.

A good old Iowa day here.

This is I think this is.

Perfect.

We're not sweltering hot.

Just a little humid.

And everybody can work up a good sweat here as they're running around the bases.

Boy, it was really busy there in the fourth for Van Meter.

They're looking to do something here in the fifth.

They're up by two.

They're always looking to surprise you.

And you have to be on your toes defensively, knowing that something may happen.

Like a bunt.

And that's what happens there.

Oh.

Netten bunts and fielded by Kramer.

Moves.

The runner up.

Small moves to second, one out.

Netten leaning into the line a little bit.

There.

Finley Netten as the fielder.

Berentschot was right on the.

Line On the throw was right there and you got that little running alley, that box, the pink bag on the other side.

And Netten digging hard to get down there.

And they both collided.

Both walked away unscathed.

Finley Netten at the bat.

Now.

As Baron Scott looks at the play call so she knows what's going on here, hit in the air towards right, but foul behind first.

Well, there's a look at Josh Flaws just briefly there because at some point you just can't coach there forever.

On on first you do have to make a change.

Even if you do keep scoring.

But that is what they had to do.

Cousin to the head coach Whoops.

And you know, again with Van Meter with another runner on second here and one out, another base hit could easily give them another run.

But swinging away is Finley Netten top of the top of the lineup here.

She's not conceding anything.

No.

Then she is a battler up there at the top of the lineup.

I think you had mentioned she's going to Northern Iowa, going to continue to play softball for the Panthers.

I asked her why.

What intrigued you about Northern Iowa?

She goes, it just she goes a lot of the same values that we have at Van Meter.

I felt like they have at Northern Iowa, and it felt like home to me.

And so that is why she chose Northern Iowa to continue her softball career The two two coming from.

Hoff hit back up to Hoff.

She looks at second runner was already gone and so Ruggles is courtesy runner Small now or pinch runner is now at third.

Netten is out and it's Maddie Schnell.

Number two will bring up left fielder Maddie Schnell I wouldn't be surprised if they maybe try a bunt here.

Wouldn't put it past.

Him.

The freshman Schnell.

Schnell a year ago had a walk off home run, first of her career in the semifinals to put them into that championship game and then hit another one in the championship game.

So she was on a tear last year.

Punches it to the left side quickly up and over, but not.

In not a chance.

Childress to get the speedy Schnell down the line.

And another run scores for Van Meter.

It's now seven.

Four.

Just making contact and Childress had to come over into the hole to field that one.

Momentum going the other way.

Couldn't get a whole lot on that throw over to first base So now it's Cali Richards the senior catcher.

Just because we have teams that come year after year, I think I may have fallen into a trap early.

Just saying.

Oh, it's the same team, same coach, you know, whatever.

Each team's DNA is different.

One thing Cali Richards said.

Is she goes, we are our own team and they are proving it right now as they are in the lead seven four.

Now if they win the state title, sure, you could just say, oh, a lot of the same parts.

But you can have the same team come back.

Laura and its.

Different.

Yeah.

And you know it usually it's just it's maybe one player that left the team and you've got to replace that.

It kind of mixes up and changes the chemistry of a team and you can't get on the same page as you were the year before.

Richards pops it up.

Great play in foul territory.

By Childress, who covered a lot of ground right in front of the fence.

And let's see this one again She did cover a lot of ground.

Knew she was coming up on that fence fairly quickly, pulled it in and then braced herself.

Well, it's seven four and we've had a few things to write home about.

We're going to show you some of the highlights here.

First.

Part of this game early on it's West Lyon beaten out a couple of runs Leah Blauwet and then Reese Kramer They throw behind and then Van Meter is able to score Netten then in the second Van Meter goes to work again.

Alice Ruggles will score on this play Annie Netten would also score and then it's a big hit by Jersey Hawf 228ft away on a new to her bat home.

Run.

West Lyon took the lead back and then all of a sudden it Van Meter went to work again, this time in the fourth Netten Schnell Richards all with big hits.

Hohenadel a couple of miscues four errors for West Lyon in this contest, and again, Van Meter just pushed another run across.

That's their seventh run.

That's how we stay seven four here in the top of the sixth.

Four, seven, four for the guest team, which is West Lyon the home team.

Van Meter seven, ten and one.

As we go to the sixth inning from Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex.

It's the class two, a state championship on Iowa PBS.

Van Meter fans looking to celebrate.

Six outs away from going back to back.

But there's a lot of softball yet to play, and West Lyon has proven they can make up the difference in a hurry.

Katelyn Berentschot is up.

She has to readjust her gloves.

The junior.

Gets the gloves back.

Goes back to work.

You see the big wildcat paw on the helmet.

You look at that scoreboard and the thing that jumps out at you is the four errors that you see for West Lyon.

That has really been the difference in this ball game.

Prickett to Ruggles for out number one.

That will make way for Mallorie Koch.

Hard to win any game in softball with four errors, let alone a state championship game Swinging through the first pitch is cook, the freshman.

Cook.

Oh for two.

And you have to time things against Prickett.

You've got to know she's coming with that offspeed more often than not And she hits it over the head of Netten into center field for a one out hit.

And now Jessa Ciesielski Is hit.

And yes, that's the Jessa Ciesielski.

I've held that all game.

You've been talking about it all week.

How you darn right they said to said to Jess, I say, I, I know your dad and uncle.

She goes, I know I go where I go.

Which story do you want to hear?

Oh, I don't believe any of them that you all say.

Good memories there.

They're trying to make a good memory here.

Seven, four Ciesielski looks at one outside and it's two and.

Oh, Jess is zero for two.

Lined out.

Hard to short back in the fourth.

Jess's brother was on the boys football team that was state champs and the runner up in basketball.

That's well hit.

And that's going to get down for a base hit.

And it might go it's cut off.

It's going to get the job done.

And getting the runner to third sliding in is Cook and Solinski gets her first hit of the game on a one out rocket to left or to right.

Almost gets all the way to the fence and a good job by Vaught hustling over there, not allowing it to get to that fence line.

Otherwise you might have seen a run come in.

So now it's first and third with one out and Lucy Doorneweerd up.

Coach has said she has stepped up in big moments.

I'm going to think this qualifies as a big moment.

One swing can tie.

It.

First pitch outside for a ball.

I would consider this a big moment.

You don't have a whole lot of outs left in this ball game.

You've got some runners on building a little momentum.

She is a patient hitter, is going to take her time and get one that she can put out into the outfield.

That pitch from Prickett is chopped foul.

Yeah, just not a lot of moments left.

Period.

You're down to five outs.

Don't chase anything out of your zone.

You have to love it.

Okay.

Come on now.

Hey, here we go.

Here we go.

Stay in the zone.

Severson knew kind of turned this program around and just a short amount of time Good pitch I think we asked her, how'd you do it?

And it was the it's it's the it's the tried and true answer.

It's that off season work.

It's that January February at bats.

She said they didn't see it then.

All the hard work they were putting in.

But they see it now that it's paid off, that it's gotten them to this point.

Perfect for you.

Okay.

Two and two.

Okay.

See you and drive protect you.

You got this.

You got this.

One out.

Remember when tagging on the fly ball.

All right, one out.

Two balls, two strikes.

The pitch coming from Prickett here in the top of the sixth with one out.

That one's high.

And the count runs full.

You know, and they're a team.

You talked about the fact that they can make up this deficit in a hurry in two games.

They've scored 19 runs on 26 hits so they can put up runs.

They can string together hits.

Well, hit to right.

But it's going to be caught.

Is it deep enough to score a run?

Here comes the throw.

And under.

And we're going to have interference anyway on the catcher.

So the run would have counted no matter what.

So the sacrifice fly Doorneweerd gets a run home.

Time.

Looked like she maybe got a little bit of a slow start off of third base as the throw comes in and Prickett cut it instead of letting it go through.

I don't know if she would have let it go through if it would have made a difference, but as you say, there was looked like the umpire had his arm out.

I didn't see that, but he did.

Yeah, it was there on the on the replay.

So seven five now and it's top of the order.

Ella Langenhorst Trying to not let this be her last high at bat.

She can keep things going.

Turn it over.

Top of the order.

Had a hit back in the third.

Looking to get something going here in the sixth.

1 in 2 outs Smart thing.

Ciesielski well hit to right.

That is going to get down.

And that will go to the fence.

It will score Ciesielski and Langenhorst with a double.

And just like that, it's a one run game.

Well, Ciesielski she tagged up on the play before, so that got her to second base.

Same courtesy.

And two outs.

So she was going on the crack of the bat and it caroms away and Langenhorst just gets in ahead of the throw.

She just stepped in underneath the tag.

I thought the same thing.

I'm like, you got to slide.

I know.

And so we do have a new runner at and it's Bella who comes in to run for West Lyon.

She's an eighth grader.

Seven six here in the sixth.

That one's hit to right.

Diving play gets rattled around.

They're going to wave in the runner and we are going to be tied at seven.

On Aaliyah Blauwet hit It just enough to get over the outfield and into right field.

As you see Kramer coming in to score to tie this one up at seven.

As they go into the circle to talk to Prickett calm her down.

You get a look at the lively Blauwet.

I mean that girl's personality.

If it's not coming across on television, you're not watching.

Go back and watch all the dancing she's been doing.

Look at that smile.

She knows what's happening.

This game is tied at seven here in the sixth Jersey Hawf.

By the way, she had a three run homer earlier.

Can she square one up here to give her team the lead?

Hope you didn't go anywhere.

Hope you had no other plans tonight.

The one zero coming.

Just don't want to give her anything.

Good.

That ball gets away and it's going to allow the runner to get to second base So Blauwet scampers down there, gives Hawf a chance to score another run.

Drive in another run with a hit.

And that's going to be a walk.

Now here comes James Flaws.

Blauwet turned around after she slid into second and turned to the outfield bleachers, trying to get them fired up out there.

Here we go.

Let's go.

Can we go a little faster?

Yeah.

Yep, yep.

We got you, we got you.

Hey, outfield has got to be coming up.

Ball in front.

Come up firing for ball gap.

We got to cut two.

Okay.

Hey.

Let's go.

Lock it down right now.

Dogs on three.

123.

I couldn't tell whose voice it was, but you heard him say, let's play a little faster.

Is that what I heard?

I couldn't hear, I could not hear that.

It's gotten louder here.

It has gotten very loud right up above us.

Not quite as steady of a beat as last year, but it's.

It's enough to know that there's a state championship on the line.

We got a runner at second.

That's the go ahead run for West Lyon at the plate is Jersey Hawf.

That pitch is in there for a strike on two.

And oh and going down to the bullpen for Van Meter to warm up is Jillian Wosmansky who pitched in the semifinal and who I thought maybe was going to start this game.

The two one Hawf lets it go and that's ball three.

So great hitters count for Hawf here.

First base open, but you can't really take that approach right now.

Here in the sixth.

You got to pitch to her and that is going to be right at center field and going up to make a jumping catch.

As Katie Vaught to extinguish the Wildcats in the sixth.

But it is a huge six.

They score three to tie.

It, three runs to tie the game up at seven.

You want thrills, you want excitement, you want great food.

How about some nachos?

That looks good.

Let's go.

Let's go to the bullpen and look at my punch card from a couple of weeks ago there at the state Fair.

Had a chance to try some new foods.

There's the Korean hot dog that had fries on it and cheese inside, and that was a that was pretty darn good.

That was the there's the pizza.

There's the chicken on a stick.

There's the egg roll.

The pork scotcheroos, the butter cow sundae.

It's like I got a quick name them right there.

That's that's fast.

I'm going to try them again.

Some of them are really good.

But you can see all of our highlights and insight from what I had to say about the food and others from the Iowa State Fair coverage, which is 9:00 nightly beginning August 11th through the 16 only on statewide Iowa PBS.

Well, from just looking at it.

Yeah.

So far, well, as I say, the butter cow sundae or whatever, that was the tornado.

Yes, I would like to try that.

But that pizza looked darn good.

It was good.

They were all good.

They were all good.

This game's been pretty good to Ava Hohenadel Hohenadel, Halle Karaidos and Bianca Prickett do up for Van Meter here in their half of the sixth, tied at Lucky Sevens.

Swing and a foul back into the screen for Hohenadel.

Van Meter has been in this situation all state tournament gotten late into ball games.

They've had to win them late They just need some runners on and they can manufacture a run.

And changeup misses.

Van Meter had to use some heroics in the sixth and in the seventh to get by West Fork.

Just to the east of us, a couple of counties Van Meter Pretty loose.

Last night the team had a little trivia.

After they came to the championships and watched and coach flaws and company.

Some of them wrote some great trivia and that one just misses too.

And the count goes full.

And the girls, when I was talking to him before the game about what they did last night and they said trivia and they jumped, we won.

No, we won.

Very competitive in that.

Just like they've been competitive here.

Laura.

Hohenadel really trying to control everything.

Hits a hot one there.

Kramer plucks it, throws it to Berentschot for out number one.

Great.

Grab.

You could see a couple of pitches before Hohenadel taking those deep breaths, trying to get in the right state of mind.

Got a good piece of that ball.

Hit it hard, but Kramer right there to glove it Only for the.

This has not been a lot of leadoff outs for West Lyon.

Van Meter has been able to put a lot of runners on and a lot of pressure.

But West Lyon gets the lead off there and now it's Halle Karaidos one for three.

Today in this two a. Championship The pitch from Hoff.

Oh what a good one.

Backed up over the plate.

Pitchers go through stretches Laura were they just.

Not every pitch comes back to him.

And then sometimes they throw that.

And it feels really good.

The seams feel really good.

The spin coming out of your hand feels really good.

And and you're like, yeah, it got it back.

I want to throw that one as much as I can.

That's the one where you shake it off.

I want to go back to that thing I just did.

And you can't throw it too much because then the batter times it up and sees the pattern, but she is starting to get that motion back.

The two one is hit up the middle and it's a one out hit for Van Meter Karaidos on base again.

Coming up, the pitcher Bianca Prickett.

You got a tough customer at the plate and Prickett from the left hand side.

Slapper that can do a lot of different things with the bat.

Shows bunt.

Pulls it back.

Van Meter is really put a lot of pressure on West Lyon throughout this game.

There's only been two.

They've yet to go one, two, three in an inning.

The least batters they've sent to the plate is five, and they've done that twice.

The third batter this inning and there's only one out is Prickett.

That pitch is a strike.

After a while, when you get into the fifth, sixth and seventh, that does kind of wear on you, doesn't.

It?

Yeah it does.

I mean, you're having to throw a lot of pitches.

You're out in the field for a long time trying to get those three outs and seeing a lot of hitters having to handle the baserunning.

Boy got her on three straight pitches, two and three different locations.

Got her to go after that rise ball.

But yeah, I mean, you're constantly thinking on defense when you're going up against Van Meter because you have to think baserunning, what are they going to do?

And now I got a left handed hitter up there, and how are we going to play that?

So it's a lot of mental part of the game that you're having to deal with.

Two two away for Karaidos runner at first.

Is Halle Karaidos.

This is Mara.

She's one of three.

Trying to get her team.

The go ahead run.

Good pitch from Hoff.

I tell you what.

Iowa Central is going to get a good pitcher in Hoff.

She wants the ball in big moments like this.

And she is responding.

Ooh.

Close pitch.

Really close.

Maybe I'm just living and breathing with these fan bases.

Because I know you can hear them cheer here to your right and to your left and up above you.

The two.

One is hit.

Zaleski makes the grab.

And for the first time, Van Meter only sends four to the plate.

We have a great one in the making for the ending.

What happens in the seventh?

We are tied in Fort Dodge It's amazing when you reflect back on how many young people are involved with the productions of Iowa PBS, from sports to the talent show that we do every year It's just an amazing celebration of the state of Iowa, and it's the only place where you can turn the TV on and not worry what's going to be on the screen.

No one ever shakes you.

How?

Never shakes.

Boy, we've had a lot of shaking today.

That's a look at Dickey from studio three live.

That's our live music showcase that helping us out with a little new look at the highlights of the girls state softball tournament.

Third season of studio three live premieres in September on Iowa PBS.

If you're not sure what that show is, go out and check out those song clips from previous seasons on our YouTube channel or the full shows on our website at iowapbs.org.

Also a mailing list if you want to find out what's next, or be in the auditorium in the concert venue.

Right now we're on the diamond right now.

We got ourselves a sellout show.

And that's a one hopper to Netten off the bat of Kramer one away for West Lyon here, as they're now down to two outs in the seventh.

We'll bring up shortstop Braylyn Childress.

Braylyn Childress to dig in Now.

Van Meter fans thinking, do we have some more late inning drama?

West Lyon thinking the same thing.

Childress has hit a home run this week.

I think she's just looking for a base hit right now.

But you know, home runs?

Not too bad either.

Well, you take the home run, you'd say, sure, I'll take that home run.

I'm not going to kick it away.

I'm not going to say no.

But you want to keep the lineup moving.

I mean, you got it.

You've got to think about getting on base And yes, if you can get a pitch you can handle and drive and get it out of here and take a rip at it.

But you got to try to manufacture something here, string some singles together.

Childress told us this week, playing in this championship game means the world to her.

Had a good hug with family after the game.

I think you asked her what did you just do?

And she said I was just crying with my family and you should.

It's an.

Emotional.

It is a great, great event that never gets old.

Tears of joy.

Sharing a.

Moment three one That's going to be a walk.

Childress is going to draw the base on balls with one.

Out.

She was the one two that was out during that heat time-out that they had leading her team in Cotton-eyed Joe dancing with the team and that kind of shifted momentum for them in that semifinal game.

Got her team out of the dugout, got them moving, got him all fired up Byron Scott looks at a first pitch strike Caitlin.

Up.

She's reached on a fielder's choice.

Also had a hit and grounded.

Out The oh one coming.

Chopper up the middle.

Good glove by net and the throw to second in time.

Across to first.

Not so fielder's choice by Byron Scott.

But Childress is out.

Great play by Prickett.

You think she plays infield?

She made that play.

Yeah.

Smart play just came out of the pitching stance.

Able to get over and backhand that one and immediately looked to second base to get the force.

Want to get that lead runner.

Mallorie Koch first pitch swing foul.

Breathe breathe breathe breathe and have confidence.

Right.

Best one all year.

Right.

Here.

You got this.

Hey.

Have fun, have fun.

Hey, have fun up there.

Have fun.

Eight, nine.

One due up for Van Meter in their half of the.

Inning.

Cook a freshman, big opportunity right here for.

Her one, one and one.

Here we go, here.

We go.

We got this.

We got.

This.

Pitch is low.

Now be smart okay.

Nothing in the.

Dirt.

I have to say Laura, the freshman player tends to have some of the most improvement during the year.

Wouldn't you.

Say?

Oh, yeah, I would think so.

You know, a lot of those freshmen were courtesy runners the year previous.

Maybe got some reps on the varsity level, played some JV, but get the opportunity to work over the off season.

And be able to get yourself in the mindset of being able to be in that lineup every single game.

And get those reps at the plate, out in the field.

You're just going to continue to improve.

And now the freshman has a full.

Count.

Go ahead.

Run at first would assume the.

Off.

Should be off with the pitch.

And it's hit hard right at Netten across the diamond to Ruggles to give her chance to win it.

Her team to win it and walk it.

Off And this is what you dream about.

Tied going into the bottom of the seventh.

Fans on their feet from Van Meter a little bit of anxiousness, a little bit of.

Biting.

It's kind of quiet on both sides right now, and I think both fan bases a little nervous and down to the bottom of the seventh.

Van Meter an opportunity to win this one.

And you know, if they do get somebody on base, you have to believe the defense is going to tighten up a little bit because of all the things that Van Meter does on the base paths.

Want to let you know that Congress recently cut $3.5 million in federal funding to Iowa PBS.

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It's affecting 18% of our budget.

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This to bring you softball action At the state tournament, Van Meter Alice Ruggles, Annie Netten and Finley Netten do up off Jersey Hawf tied at seven bottom of the seventh.

One run wins.

It.

Will it be Van Meter here in their half of the seventh?

Ruggles one for two.

She scored two of their team's seven runs.

Hey!

Looks at a strike.

You can get this first out that takes a little pressure off the defense.

They can relax a little bit, but it's a big out.

If you can get this lead off hitter.

Swing and a miss.

A little bit of a tick made to it.

Ellinghorst Langenhorst holds on to it behind the plate.

Small Van Meter knocked out Ex-ira.

That's also Audubon.

That's who they played in the state championship last year.

Knocked them out nine four in the regional final.

Also beat I-35 and Kuemper Catholic to get to state Ruggles was holding her breath on that one that was just on the edge.

She let it go by, was able to get the call of the ball now goes full Now she's going to get something good to hit and she is a good contact hitter.

You do not want to put the leadoff runner on.

The pitch is low and they just put the leadoff runner on.

Time So now have you been able to that's her fifth walk I think we're going to have we're going to have another runner.

It is going to be Ivy Vaught.

She represents the winning run She'll go to first.

And if we go to the eighth, Ruggles would likely reenter the game.

But for now, you put a speedy runner on.

Now you go a little small ball here Annie Netten a chance to help her team puts the bunt foul Coaches talk about when I.

When we need that bunt.

I got to have you put that thing down and that's time.

That is not an easy thing.

And let's listen in here on this conversation.

You showed a little bit earlier.

Just catch it.

See the barrel.

Catch it.

Make sure it's on the ground.

If you put the ball on the ground we'll go to second base.

That's what we need right now okay.

So show it early.

If it's not there, pull back.

Okay.

Just watch it then.

Let's go.

Catch it.

That's the key with bunting.

Isn't it?

It is.

It's like catching the ball with your bat.

You have to level off the bat and just soften up those hands a little bit.

Keep the bat level and catch that ball and drop it down on the ground.

The one she catches it and pushes it foul so many times players will stab at it.

That gets it.

But the thing is, the softball players are miles ahead of their baseball counterparts of being able to bunt.

It's not even close.

Yeah.

Well, and I think, you know, a little different game, different field different true.

You know distance between bases.

And we don't see the bunt a whole lot in baseball.

Even though I yell at the TV all the time, why don't you remove that runner to second base The oh two coming.

They don't listen to me.

To Netten swung big old swing pushes it foul.

But you're right.

I think softball is certainly better fundamentally at putting the ball down on the ground via the bunt.

And Netten.

And that actually, that was Ella Fennessey who?

No, that was Annie Netten.

Yeah.

Annie Netten is called out on strikes and there's one away.

Shortstop Finley Netten.

See the location of this one Just catches the outside part of the plate.

Netten couldn't pull the trigger.

A little shocked at the call.

Top of the order Finley Netten first pitch.

Ball.

Now you get back to the top of the lineup.

And very dangerous hitter at the plate who has stung the ball a couple of times.

You want to keep the ball down in the zone against her and not let her elevate anything.

Time is called to give Finley Netten a chance to collect her thoughts.

Figure out how to play this next pitch.

And it's out of the zone.

Ball two.

You're going to be cautious here with Netten, but you don't want to walk her and put that runner in scoring position The two zero on the way is down the middle for a strike.

When it doesn't always match what you're looking for, you're just like, why didn't you swing?

But that's you're looking for something else there.

Here's an opportunity for Finley.

She hits it hard in the air to right back under it and making the grab as Lucy Doorneweerd.

And there's two away.

Well, it sounded better coming off the bat.

I thought that that was going way up against the fence and had a chance, but I think lost a little as she went opposite field with it.

Netten giving.

A little bit of instruction to Schnell as she steps in here with the runner on.

So now it's down to Maddie Schnell, the left fielder.

Another freshman in this lineup.

In A77 ball game here in the seventh.

Hard hit to the right side off the glove going into right field.

Kicking it around again.

And it's dropped again.

They're going to wave the runner home.

She falls down at third sliding.

Was Vaught.

She was being waved at home.

That ball was kicked around by both Berentschot Ciesielski Doorneweerd one actually ping pong again.

What a job by Vaught to avoid getting hit by that base hit, she had to tap dance around that.

We got you.

Go right now.

Right now.

Okay.

We don't mess with delay.

Steal.

Do we know?

Okay, we're just going to try.

Just.

Okay.

I don't think it's.

Worth it.

Nope.

I don't okay.

Yep, yep.

Okay.

Let's go right here.

Your pitch.

Drive it.

Okay.

Trust your eyes.

Let's go.

Dogs on three.

One.

Two three.

Talking, talking.

The squeeze.

Cali Richards been Cali Richards can really put the ball in play.

And you're asking your third place hitter to put it down or swing away, and it looks like swing away is the call.

We'll see how it goes.

Right.

And they we're talking about maybe sending Schnell to second, but that run does not matter, right.

The run that matters is standing 60ft away at third base.

Cali Richards and A77 ball game.

Two outs here in the seventh.

First pitch high for a.

Ball So when it looked like West Lyon was going to be able to escape and get to the eighth and all of a sudden gets a whole lot different.

Now with the winning run, standing at third, that's Ivy Vaught Cali Richards from the left side hit in the air to left.

If it's fair, that's the ball game.

It's foul by three feet, maybe two.

That was two feet from being a state championship winning opposite field hit.

Who?

Everybody takes a big deep breath over on the West Lyon side.

And now Richards gets to step back in.

Have another crack at it.

The one one in the Class 2A Championship Richards again fouls it off to the left side Again a ball and two strikes.

Cali Richards high softball IQ.

Would love to have an incredible moment right here.

Jersey Hawf would love to slam the door and get to the eighth.

The pitch.

High ball two.

Tried to get her to go after that pitch and that's a great disciplined at bat.

Great pitch call too.

Yeah.

But Richards the senior didn't.

Bite.

That high IQ comes into play right there.

She laid off of that pitch.

The two two.

High again.

Are.

Well well well she gets on again is going to bring up Hohenadel who was at the plate in the semifinal game with the game on the line.

The three.

Two.

Strike three.

And we're going to the eighth.

What a play by Jersey Hawf on the.

Called third strike.

Oh my goodness.

She location Froze her.

Yep Up and in.

I think Richards knew it too.

Yeah I think she knew it and just could not pull the trigger on it.

And.

Just has to walk back to the dugout.

Take a deep breath.

Laura.

I know they talk about the exciting championship games that we have had so far.

Last night.

Two exciting games.

For, for for.

So Pella beat North Scott four two.

That was the eighth seed, winning the number one seed Joaquin Northwest won in the eighth over.

Linn-mar and Williamsburg, with Waller threatening throughout that game three two.

Three for the Raiders waiting to.

In the old days, you know, they'd show the the trophy presentation, waiting to stencil in the.

Champions.

The champion.

Yeah.

If we had an engraver here, that's what we would be at right now.

The engraver just be sitting there looking like I got nothing to do.

I know.

This is not this game is not over.

No, it's not, it's.

The No, no.

Maybe you could make that VA into a W. I don't.

Know.

Not that talented.

So neither team scores in the seventh.

Ciesielski Doorneweerd and Langenhorst Ciesielski lead off first pitch across the diamond.

Play made by Karaidos to Ruggles one away here in the eighth.

I think we saw some future Van Meter Bulldogs in the stands trying to urge their team on knowing that they could be right here on this stage in a few years.

They could be the one, coach says.

Remember those girls that were in the stands?

They're the ones on the field now right here.

It's Lucy Doorneweerd.

She smacks it.

Nice backhand by Netten throw across the diamond is high into the screen and staying put is Doorneweerd and that thing had no chance to.

I mean, that was so hardly thrown.

And they're going to say that's an error What a great snag though.

And she puts a little bit too much mustard on that throw.

And it sails over the head of Ruggles.

I remember when I said Ella Langenhorst didn't want that to be her last at bat.

Let's see what she can do here.

She hits it high in the air to center back at the wall.

Is there enough room?

And there is for Katie Vaught to haul that in.

Langenhorst hit that thing about 198ft on a 200 fence.

Boy coming up swinging at that first pitch and Vaught she went back and then had to come back in.

She thought it was hit a little harder than it was, but she circled in behind it.

Okay, so maybe it was only 190.

Hit in the air again to Vaught this one a little easier underneath it.

Blauwet is out back to back fly outs to center.

West Lyon strands a runner and we go to the bottom of the eighth, still tied at seven in this two AA championship game as the one AA championship game is three minutes away from starting at least by the schedule.

And you know, if you think this was good the first time, you should watch it on replay and you can always watch today's championship action and you can relive it.

Share these moments with your family, friends and neighbors.

Visit iowapbs.org for archives.

Championship games anytime, anywhere on the mobile device.

You can watch it on the way home tonight.

The others in the car while you're driving.

Just focus man, like you said, Laura, it's been exciting.

These championship games and I think in that one game coming up at some point, there's going to be two good teams.

They're going to hit the ball two.

It's going to be another good one.

I know we say that all the time, but that's because they usually are.

They have such good setups.

Hohenadel Karaidos and Prickett do up for Van Meter.

Everybody I've said has a hit for Van Meter in this contest.

It's four, five and six due up here in the eighth.

First pitch out of the zone.

Deep breath.

Same routine that she usually does.

Closes the eyes, steps in, draws a little line in the sand.

Well, hit.

To left.

That is.

How it is going to end.

Home run walk-off style.

Ava Hohenadel.

That's a state championship home run.

Back to back go the Bulldogs.

2016.

Thanks again to Heidi and Associate sponsored by nice No doubt in anyone's mind.

You see the arms in the air?

They were excited in the game?

She was up at the plate.

She had the game winning hit.

Brought in the winning run to advance them to this ball game.

She's the first one up here in the bottom of the eighth.

And it was a no-doubter.

Just like you said.

You said it.

Go back.

Go back into the archive and watch what Laura said.

She said that exact same thing.

We'll meet the All-Tournament team will have the runner up trophy and the championship trophy presentation here.

West Lyon.

What a great game from them.

Let's give both of these teams a nice round of applause.

That's the way it should be in a championship game Now please direct your attention to the infield for the award ceremony.

Presenting the class Two-a All-Tournament team.

Medals is executive director Aaron Gerlach and softball administrator Jason Esslinger.

Here is your class Two-a All-Tournament team for 2025 from Vanmeter Kelly Richards.

From West Lyon, Braylen Childress From Cascade, Ashlyn Schockemöhle From Louisa-muscatine Keeley Williams.

From Louisa-muscatine Kameron Taylor From West Fork Preslee Deichmann From West Fork, Libby Trewin.

From West Lyon Ella Langenhorst From Vanmeter.

Ava Hohenadel.

From West Lyon.

Jersey.

Hoff.

And your class Two-a.

All tournament team captain for 2025.

From Vanmeter Finley.

Neaton.

Always a special honor to be named to that All-Tournament team.

You can see those pictures on social media.

And over the years, it's just kind of fun to see who emerges over the years.

And you see champions and runners up and third place all getting a chance, all make a contribution to get there.

Quite an honor.

Congratulations to all those who are on that team.

All of them had amazing performances throughout the week and very much deserved to be on that team.

Once we get our last formal photo taken.

This is the.

Fun part of the night to hand out trophies, which is up next.

For the trophy presentation.

In addition to receiving medallions, every participating player will receive a commemorative softball provided by Iowa Farm Bureau.

Proud title sponsor of the Girls Athletic Union.

Presenting awards are members of the Board of Directors.

Congratulations to the runners up in class Two-a.

Head coach Alexis Syverson and the West Lyon Wildcats on an outstanding 2025 softball season.

And your 2025 class two a state softball champions.

Head coach James Floors and the Van Meter Bulldogs.

Third overall for Van Meter.

They had a few parts from last year.

A whole lot of components and it takes chemistry and a lot to make it happen.

Shake it all up and have a walk off home run by Ava Hohenadel.

And that's how you win another state championship.

So you go back to back and they will lose a few players off of this team, but they've got a good nucleus coming back and what a great tournament for Hohenadel.

I mean she came up and clutch situations both in the semis and in this ball game.

Walked it off.

Congratulations West Lyon.

Great season and Van Meter 34 and two.

Back to back state champions in class two A.

It was a great one.

One more to go.

Two in the books on this Friday.

The last game of the season is next here on statewide Iowa PBS.

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