
Class 3A — Williamsburg Raiders vs. Dubuque Wahlert Golden Eagles
Season 2025 Episode 1203 | 1h 42m 55sVideo has Closed Captions
The Williamsburg Raiders play the Dubuque Wahlert Golden Eagles for the 3A title.
The Williamsburg Raiders play the Dubuque Wahlert Golden Eagles for the 3A title. Programming support for the 2025 IGHSAU Girls State Softball Championships is provided by Fareway, Farmers Mutual Hail and Musco Lighting.
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Iowa Girls State Softball Championships is a local public television program presented by Iowa PBS

Class 3A — Williamsburg Raiders vs. Dubuque Wahlert Golden Eagles
Season 2025 Episode 1203 | 1h 42m 55sVideo has Closed Captions
The Williamsburg Raiders play the Dubuque Wahlert Golden Eagles for the 3A title. Programming support for the 2025 IGHSAU Girls State Softball Championships is provided by Fareway, Farmers Mutual Hail and Musco Lighting.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Iowa Girls State Softball Championships
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship--- Out onto the field, but they know what their role is And and for this team.
They know exactly what their role is to get out there and utilize their speed and steal bases.
Well, Kalon Spratt is the batter.
Keston Spratt is the runner.
As we look at Roth, the pitch bunt is popped up.
Gloved throwback.
No throw.
Just a look.
Spratt unable to get the ball down.
She's out on a pop up to the pitcher Who just could not get on top of that rise ball.
Popped it up Roth doing a great job of coming in and pulling that one in, but smart baserunning by Keston Spratt over there got back very quickly.
Allen first pitch hit in the air toward center, coming in, taking three steps.
Sieverding throws back to first.
Not in time.
Spratt there but aggressive running and good throwing.
Sieverding set herself up with this one.
Got the momentum in behind herself.
Coming in on that catch and knew exactly she was going to first base no matter what she saw.
How far Spratt was off first base and she was going to give it a try.
Trying to get the bunt down.
Now, sprouts going to steal second base.
So she's out.
I was physically blocked.
From what the umpire called.
I think she might have over slid the bag.
Yeah, the umpire.
Oh, she left too soon.
She left too soon.
Okay.
Yeah.
All right, so that's what happened there.
She left too soon.
Okay, so that is how the Williamsburg inning ends.
So that means caught stealing was Spratt.
That's how that out was made.
So Williamsburg unable to score in their half of the fourth and getting ready to join us again is coach Adam Berti for Williamsburg.
Coach, you're hitting the ball well, here's the stat you've first pitch Put in play nine of 14 times.
Kind of your strategy today.
I'm guessing.
Well, we know she's going to try to get ahead.
And a lot of times that can be the best pitch to hit.
So the girls have their choice on that.
And you know like they said, they've hit it hard.
We're getting under a little bit too much.
Their outfield can really fly, so we're not going to get anything but line drives past them.
All right.
What are you seeing from Jersey here in the circle.
Now Jersey's been good.
You know we play a little cleaner.
That last inning we'd have been okay.
But you know we're still in good shape.
How do you feel here in this middle stretch I mean getting are you getting the pitches.
You're getting the views.
You're getting the nerves out of here I don't know, just trying to.
Play.
Thanks, coach.
Appreciate it.
That's Adam Berti.
He's not playing.
He's just coaching.
And he's trying to get his team as he'll make the run back over to the dugout.
And once he gets in there.
What did you hear from him?
Well, first of all I agree.
You know he's not playing.
He's coaching.
But you sometimes as a coach feel like you're playing the game.
And so I think they're going to continue to go after that first pitch.
They're going to try to be aggressive at the plate.
And I think the one thing he said, you know what, we play a little bit cleaner.
We're still up two nothing in this ball game.
And they gave up a couple of runs in that last inning so they could get Waller back in this ball game.
For Waller, it'll be Hayley Lang, Natalie Ruba and Claire Brosius.
One more thing about that top inning.
Again, things moved quickly, but I think it seems like Waller is very content to play a fast paced game.
I think they've settled in, I think I think they were maybe caught off guard a little bit in the top of the first, as quickly as Williamsburg scored, but now I think they've settled in to the way this game is, is going.
And, you know, a lot of times we basketball, we talk about pace of play and getting up and down the court.
But here in softball it is moving along.
It is moving very quickly.
And I think pitchers like that, I think hitters like that.
I think the fielders like that because they're ready to go.
They aren't out there walking around waiting for a pitch to happen.
And so I think both of these teams are really enjoying the pace at this game is being played.
The one two is off the plate to Lang.
I think fans like a good pace too.
They don't just feel absolutely, they just don't feel like they're just sitting out in the sun all day.
Beautiful day to be doing it.
Nice light breeze.
The pitch to Lang.
She goes down and gets that pitch.
It's gloved by Hughes to Pitlick for out number 1.
Hughes is so good over there at third.
Just the backstop got down.
Just kind of smothered that ball was going to short hop it, but she got down there and got it before it made that extra spin.
And she was able to make the good strong throw.
She's showing off her arm a little bit over there at third.
Natalie Ruba fouls the first pitch off back to the net.
You know you see those players when they do their their warm up hits down each baseline before the game.
And you know they always want you know you always tell the young player baseball softball whatever get in front of the ball.
But you will see the third base or shortstop.
Sometimes they will practice that back hand just for such play like Hughes did That pitch backs up on Ruba for a ball.
And you really have to.
Down at third base have to be ready for that ball.
And we've seen several of them hit right down the line.
You've got to have those those quick reflexes to be able to turn the glove and pick that backhanded.
The one one off the plate.
Ball two.
Two, five and one for Williamsburg, two for two for Wahlert.
The Golden Eagles got their two runs in the third.
Williamsburg scored one in the first and in the second, but haven't scored since the pitch to Ruba hit in the air high but foul and out of play.
One more Over at the consolation diamond for that game end and I just missed it.
I know we showed you the graphic earlier in the consolation game today.
It was Albia beating PCM nine one.
At PCM team.
They're going to be back there.
They've got a lot of young really good players.
Swing and a miss Down goes Ruba.
Metz brought that with a little bit of determination and a little bit of heat.
You can see right up in the upper part of that zone.
Second strike out of the game for Ruba.
Or for Metz.
Claire Brosius First pitch swinging.
Metz in the quarterfinal had seven strikeouts as they defeated Washington and then against Albia, three strikeouts.
So a little bit different type of game.
Got the strikeouts in that quarterfinal game.
Didn't need as many strikeouts.
Relied on the defense in that semifinal game.
Brosius goes high on that pitch, watches it go.
So she lays off.
Metz checks the wrist.
And delivers the one one.
Good.
Stop by Ness Ruba Lundstrom.
One of my fun things is to try to guess the pitch.
When you see a pitcher with four pitches.
What was that?
What was that?
I mean, this is a good pitch And that was a good one.
That one had good movement in and then broke out.
You know, from where we're sitting, I mean, we're almost directly behind the plate.
So you can really see the spin on some of these pitches and see how they move.
And you move that in.
I don't know how.
What are we.
Another 30, 20ft.
That's hard to pick up.
That ball coming out of the pitcher's hand and out of the circle to try to make that adjustment at the plate Swing and a miss by Brosius.
Third strikeout of the game for Jersey Metz as the Golden Eagles go down one, two, three in their half of the fourth.
Proud to be an official partner.
And we are ready with Tyler Lang.
Head coach of Dubuque Wahlert.
All right, coach, this game started fast.
Played fast.
What do you think of that?
Fast play.
Pace of play.
Oh, yeah.
We know they're a really good base runners from watching them and playing against them.
You know there's going to be some adversity in games like this.
And just told the girls that you know we we've been through it enough that we just got to respond and respond really well and we're back.
Tie ball game right now.
What do you think of you've seen so far from Julia in the circle?
She's been great.
You know, I just kind of kind of.
They don't strike out very much.
So we knew they were going to put the ball in play and had a few miscues in the field, but we've responded very nicely.
All right coach, thank you so much.
Appreciate it.
All right.
Thank you.
Tyler Lang The head coach for Dubuque Wahlert and his pitchers just broke the circle there.
Julia Roth.
She'll face Ava Hocker.
Makenna Hughes and Carly Rich do up for Williamsburg in the fifth.
So here you go, ladies.
Center fielder.
Hunter.
This is kind of your second lead off right here with hooker in that number 9 spot.
The speed that she brings and the way that she has developed her game at the plate I mean she's she was primarily a base runner a year ago because she is so fast and has elevated her game, gotten in the lineup and sitting in that nine spot and has really done a really good job of producing, getting on base, flipping the lineup over.
Coach calls her possibly the best athlete in the school Gets a hold of that one, but pulls it foul.
Plays on the basketball team And and she also has another talent.
She helps lead the team in cheers.
That's a big thing for this Williamsburg team.
Is that they have cheer practice and they have a lot of cheers for each and every player.
Each has their own individual cheer.
And they have to practice it.
They even go as far as like if they're not going to practice because it's raining.
They they have the captains.
You can see some of the hats in their when players get up to bat, they have their cheer, but they have the seniors divide up and then they choose teams and they all go work on on cheers for their the players and then come together and practice them.
I think it's great.
And they do it.
I said, when do you do this.
Oh.
On rainy days.
Which means this year, in this season they've had a lot of days to practice because we've had a lot of rainy days.
The two two Cubby Hooker hits it right at the shortstop.
Ruba for the out.
We've seen a lot of great energy from a lot of the dugouts here.
This week.
And hooker just couldn't get enough behind that.
Couldn't barrel that one up enough to get it out into the outfield.
So Hughes, the school leader in a single season for stolen bases.
Also, most runs career stolen bases, career runs.
Trying to get her on base here with one out as that first pitch is a strike and not real positive feedback coming from the team or the fans wearing black and red That's hit hard.
Pass to diving Ruba and into left field for a base hit.
You see her get that single and now defensively you're thinking, well, this could single could turn into a double very quickly.
As quick as she is.
And she does have the green light at times, she said.
But I get a little nervous.
But you know Coach Birdie is watching multiple things defensively.
But if she sees something she has the green light to go.
Just like the first time she was on base.
She held off on the first as is as Rich takes a first pitch strike, Rich checks the arm to see what's going.
Let's see if it's a pitch out or if they're going to see what Hughes can do.
Trying to get down to second the pitch popped up into center and making the grab and retreating Sieverding the catch Hughes goes back to first.
Rich is out on the fly ball.
Left field again.
A pitch up in the zone just couldn't level off the swing.
And so you send a fly ball to center field.
Now in this situation, you have to believe that Hughes is going to go in one of these first pitches.
And you are correct.
As the ball goes past short and good backup by Schultz as Ruba was diving for it And you're right, Hughes gets a good jump, gets the momentum going, gets the arms moving, grabs a hold of that bag.
She nearly took that thing off.
It came off the ground a little bit there.
You saw.
And she goes in headfirst and she knows exactly.
You see good base stealers how to slide away from the tag.
And she does a great job of that and knows exactly what corner to grab.
Gorsh hits it into.
Left there waving Hughes around the throw into the infield is not going to be in time.
It's going to be an RBI hit for Alley Gorsh and Williamsburg takes the lead back.
Springing things together And Coach Birdie said that Gorsh has been the most consistent all season long, and she is a player that comes up in a clutch situation and hits it right in between third and short.
And when you have that speed at second base, so that's stolen.
Base gets them that run.
And that is why they try to keep runners at bay.
As the first pitch to Taylor Pitlick has fouled away.
But it is so hard to keep a good fast team in check You knew as soon as they got that second out, the fly ball by Rich out to center field, that Hughes was going to go.
Great.
Grab over there by Roling Pitlick is out on the line.
Drive caught by Anna.
Not before Williamsburg does get a run on the board to take a one run lead three two here as we've played four and a half.
You know Pitlick has really blistered the ball every time she's been up to the plate.
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Then, now and in the future.
Nice job.
That's the best one yet.
Who's out there Cheering.
We're stretching here Laura and the Tater Tots banners are back out again that I have seen that all over the state over the years.
The young person who lost who battled so hard and united a community.
And they just don't forget.
In fact, I think we saw, yeah, there's a tattoo right there on Metz that's got the, the T you see it on Coach Birdie's shirt and something that just unifies a town and community, and it continues to do so.
Ruth Tauber Julia Roth and Kylie Sieverding be very curious if Tauber gets on what they do with Roth.
They intentionally walked her the last time.
So if you're Jersey Metz, you're trying to get ahead and you just do on the oh one, the pitch coming hit hard and into right field for a base hit Well, we're going to get your question answered here in a second and see what they do.
In this situation, you go ahead and you pitch to her.
And that's what Coach Birdie's going to do.
The pitcher They did say.
So, coach Birdie stays in the dugout.
They're going to pitch to Roth.
With a runner on first pitch, low might not be anything good, but they're going to pitch to her.
They're going to try.
You're right.
They're not going to give her anything good.
But they're going to see if she might go after a pitch and get herself out.
But she's she's such a good hitter and has such a good eye.
She doesn't swing at a lot of bad pitches.
The one zero is swung on and missed That was the home run cut right there.
Also a two year starter for Coach Spiegler and girls basketball.
Played at state last year.
Very, very comfortable on this big stage.
Hits it hard at Hughes hoo on the hop gloves.
Throws across and gets the out.
So Roth retired for the second time today.
She's zero for two with a walk.
To get the first out of the one.
However.
They get the runner over to scoring position runner up.
So.
That's more important as we just found out single could score Tauber is Kylie Sieverding digs in.
Pitch inside.
Showed a possible bunt there.
And so now you have the defense thinking a little bit.
Could she possibly lay one down?
Corners are playing back.
That pitch is floated high.
Metz will, from time to time look down at her wrist and she will see the word spells written With one extra L. With an extra L?
Yeah.
That one is smacked hard into center.
It's going to get down in front of hooker.
The throw into the plate is cut off.
Let's see.
They're going to get into a rundown and Rich won't bite any further than that.
So it'll be runners at the corner on an absolute blistered pitch hit by Sieverding.
Sieverding has hit the ball hard twice, and this one looks like it might be caught.
And that's why Tauber has to hold up right next to second.
Otherwise, I think she would have been able to score if she could have gone on the crack of the bat.
But you have to wait to see if that one is going to be caught.
So now runners at the corners There's a look at Sieverding.
She's at first, the runner at third is Tauber.
The batter is Addie Klein shows bunt pitch, comes inside and is low.
They're going to concede the stolen base to Sieverding not contested.
So now runners in scoring position for coach Lang.
He gives the sign.
Do not be surprised, Laura.
If this ball gets put down right in front of.
The plate.
I was just going to say you got to always be thinking squeeze.
And I think Williamsburg was as well Metz through that thing inside that had been a near impossible pitch to put down.
And you do have Hughes over at third drawn in Pitlick over at first, drawn in.
Swinging away, hitting to the right side.
It's going to be foul by about 18.
No.
You think it was.
More like six?
I think it was six.
I think it was very close over there.
Just tailing away And a good job of going with that pitch, taking it to the opposite field.
And again one out going to the right side of the of the field trying to get that run in to tie it back up.
The two one pitch coming from Metz to Addie Klein.
Now she shows bunt gets it down.
It's fielded in foul territory So we'll do it again.
And I am never surprised.
In a championship game.
Laura, if a coach trusts a player enough, like Tyler Lang might just do to say, you know what, I don't care that there's two strikes.
Put it down That way.
You got to get the right pitch to be able to do it, though.
Metz throws Klein pops it up on the infield.
Rich is underneath it, grabs it two away.
Carly Rich with a smile Schultz.
You know that the defense is there.
Little tense right now.
And so a little bit of a sigh of relief when they got that pop up.
Changeup fouled off.
Metz gets ahead of Sadie Schultz Schultz hit a rocket back in the second.
Walked in the third part of that third inning when.
Wahlert was able to get on the board.
Swung on and missed again And Schultz trying to extend this inning and get another pitch.
She's down zero two.
Two runners on, two outs here in the fifth.
Change up.
Hit in foul territory.
Going to make the grab and ending the rally as Taylor Pitlick out.
Number 3.
Really nice pitching sequence that time.
Gave her that off speed.
She held back but she just could not get enough on it to put it out into right field.
But great pitching sequence for Metz.
Hot dog.
We got some highlights to show you.
And I tell you what, it doesn't take long to get something.
You've got a bunt, you've got an error, and then you've got aggressive base running as Makenna Hughes scored the game's first run and then in the second, it was Spratt.
And another couple of big hits scoring their was Kalon Spratt.
Then in the third, things kind of got a little bit away from Williamsburg as the Eagles put runners on and a good hitting and aggressive baserunning tied it at two.
Then in the fifth it was a couple of back to back hits to left field and motoring around to score what is now the go run.
The leading run for Williamsburg scoring.
That was Makenna Hughes.
She has scored two of Williamsburg three runs.
That's how we sit three two in the sixth.
Like I said, Laura, it wasn't going to take very long because there was just there's not been a ton of pitches in this game as Taylor Sanchez swings or looks at a ball.
First pitch.
No, there, there really hasn't been a pretty efficient ball game.
And right now, Williamsburg they're looking for that insurance run.
They want to get another one on the board, give them a little bit of a cushion because it seems like every inning Wahlert has been able to put runners in scoring position, have only been able to cash in in that one.
In that one inning.
Sanchez zero for two in this one.
Looks at that pitch just outside.
Sanchez had a hit in the quarterfinal and semifinal.
Had a really good state tournament last year as a freshman.
Now.
Bats as a sophomore here in the championship game again.
You know three a Laura we've done three a darn near every year.
I think we've had coverage.
And for a while it was assumption.
And it was Albia.
And it was back to assumption.
And then Williamsburg has come on the scene here.
Six straight state tournaments as it's a walk for Sanchez, and that'll lead to the pitcher Jersey Metz There are certain programs.
And what is it about Williamsburg?
We kind of talked about it in the open.
Is it a machine?
Is it a program?
An operation?
What do you what do you attribute Williamsburg success to?
I think it's a culture.
I think it's a mindset.
You know, you start winning and then you have the young players that would like to be where these players are now.
They're in the stands right now and they're watching, and I think they have those smaller programs and younger programs that play the same style of ball.
They all know what they're going to come into as they get up into that high school level.
And it.
So yes, I guess maybe a machine is exactly what it is as they can just to continue to churn out winning teams.
The pop up now, the bunt put down and getting the runner up is Kalon Spratt as she sends Sanchez down to second.
Turn And we are going to have.
Sanchez to second.
Two outs.
Coach Berti talking with Phil Kreis.
One for two straight across ones.
Your courtesy.
Coach player.
Got you.
All right.
We're going to have Sanchez be replaced by Keston Spratt and that is a full on replacement because Sanchez is the second base.
Likely we'll see a reentry, but coach coach sees an opportunity here.
He does not want to let go with two outs and another runner in scoring position down at second.
He just put a little more speed on the base paths and looking for that base hit to get that insurance run.
So let's see what Kiley Allen can do here.
The freshman DP first pitch ball Allen likely will be in the field next year.
Kind of blocked positionally.
Good enough bat to make this lineup which says volumes about her potential.
The one zero.
Chop foul.
And I think it's kind of goes back to what you were talking about.
How do they do it year in and year out?
Well, you look at Ava Hocker.
She was a player that was a pinch runner and a courtesy runner.
All of last year.
And has worked her way into the lineup.
I think you're going to see some of these younger players be able to do the same thing, but they have been in the program.
They go through these practices and the drills and they understand the philosophy of Coach Berti, and they know what they need to do when they need to step in to that starting role or be out in the field.
The long, intense practices with the equipment that they've become creative with to help give them an edge.
The one two hit high in the air to left, but very playable and Brosius gets underneath it.
It was hit high, just not nearly far enough as Williamsburg strands a runner here in their half of the sixth.
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We're going to have our second season as the mats are going to go all over the great state of Iowa.
You're going to have great glory.
And those champions of tomorrow, we're going to feature this season the Hawkeye Women, the Cyclone men, nine.
Also Division two and three wrestlers and also some big doubleheaders.
College wrestling coverage returns again this December on Iowa PBS.
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As we were at Grandview last year.
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Always excitement.
Always something to watch.
And that's all the sports get.
Grab the popcorn.
Have a bite.
Get your blanket.
Get on your couch.
Laura and watch them.
That's the best.
That is I mean, I go back and watch games and partly you go back and you watch and you go, oh, okay.
They were there last year and they're here again this year.
And so you kind of watch these teams grow up together and see how they improve and evolve.
And and it's just kind of fun to go back and relive some of these great moments that we've had here in the state championships.
This is the first state championship in softball that Wahlert has played.
In one second ladies.
So they are looking for their first state championship.
So you know that they'll be some history marks and bookmarks of this one in the future.
To watch again as Anna Roling pops it up a mile high into the big blue sky, looking up at Sanchez, who reentered the game, makes the catch Metz started her off with an off speed.
Got her out on that front foot.
She pops it up for the first out.
Did she cast a spell on that pitch?
She might have.
Did you get a chance to finish that?
I didn't, it's wouldn't be the first time as the changeup is hit and that might drop.
And it is right out of a diving Carly Rich quickly coming in as Gorsh to get that ball back in.
And it's a one out hit.
The spells that Jersey Metz has on her arm as we look at the replay, Rich is going to give it all, and I don't think her speed was going to get to it.
Metz on her arm.
She has the pitcher.
She it's about pitching mechanics.
It's separation power line, explosion, lean, lay back, light foot and snap.
That's three.
L's out nine in.
And that's how you get to spell.
So we have a change.
Quinn Mettille.
To the game for Wahlert Catholic number 9.
Quinn Patel Mettille is in.
So she'll go in for Lang.
And it'll be Natalie Ruba chance to get Wahlert tied.
And if it goes far enough, get them the lead, and then they just have to pitch three outs in the seventh.
Oh.
That pitch rises high for a ball.
Now batting shortstop Natalie Ruba Here we go.
You got to figure out a way to get this runner into scoring position.
Ruby gets gets the bunt down.
Heck of a diving play.
Throw back to first.
Not in time.
Makenna Hughes absolutely sacrificed it all for that play.
You darn right we're going to show it to you again.
You can see her charging right away as the bunt is shown and she lays out for that one.
Almost turns the double play very close over there at first, but as we said earlier to start this ball game, she's a dirt monger and usually good things happen when she gets dirty.
Look how dirty she is.
Yeah that jersey and it's up to Claire Brosius now to keep this inning going.
She is the nine place hitter so she does not get on.
That would mean Wahlert in the seventh would have their one, two, three up and Brosius grounds out to Hughes who gloves throws fires to Pitlick.
It's a heck of a big three coming up for Wahlert, but we still have to go to the seventh.
We have a good one here from Fort Dodge.
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Whole lot of joy today here in Fort Dodge softball in studio three together.
It's the live music showcase, giving us a jolt of adrenaline here at the Girls State softball tournament.
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A lot of joy.
Who's got the most joy right now?
It's Williamsburg.
They lead three two as we go to the seventh.
Doo for Williamsburg it's Hocker Hughes and Rich.
Gloved high down to second will go Hughes here comes the throw.
It is off the bag.
The tag is made.
Hughes is out.
Trying to extend a single into a double.
On the error, and she's.
Out.
The speed going down the line causes this error and the throw.
Throw sails above Roling head, but what a great pickup by Tauber as Hocker over the throw was there.
Initially they got her initially and then she slid it so they double tagged her just to make sure.
Tauber was cannon just rifled that thing into second to make that potential.
And if your Hughes.
I mean, she was being waved the entire time when that ball got away.
That one's hit well in the air by Hughes.
It's going to be Tauber again.
Who steps in and makes the catch.
And now there's two outs in the Williamsburg seven.
Going back to that last play.
That's the importance of a backup.
Yeah, that she was hustling Tauber was hustling, as you're supposed to do on a play like that.
Over to first she was back up and she was there immediately took one step and fired a baby over to second base Carly Rich that pitch is high.
Good heat there from Ralph.
Do up for the Golden Eagles.
The top of their order.
Tauber, Roth and Sieverding.
That is going to be a very tough challenge.
Williamsburg looking to add a run here and it's going to be off the hands.
It's going to be caught by Roling and that is a quickly one, two, three inning.
Laura, it looked like at the beginning it was going to be an incredible start.
And then just like that, the fires extinguished on the week.
Fly ball in the infield.
All right.
So now you're Waller coming into this your Williamsburg.
You've got the lead.
You've won this twice before.
You're the underdog in this game.
You're Waller.
What do you have to do here.
Well Ruth Tauber is going to be up.
She's going to.
So it's like they're starting the ball game right here.
You got your number 1 hitter up.
She's going to lead off.
She's a great table setter.
She knows how to get on base.
So you get her on then that gives you options.
You have Roth coming up behind her.
Will they put her on?
Probably not.
They're probably going to pitch to her, but they have got to get a runner into scoring position somehow.
Some way and look to try to tie this game so they can extend it.
And if not, get a couple of runs in and walk it off.
Tauber, a multi-sport athlete, she swims the 200 Im.
She's a great teammate.
She's trying to give her fans in blue and gold something to smile, get that hair standing on end.
I know it gets exciting here in the seventh.
We begin this inning.
Laura.
with all the buzz of a championship game.
But your heart has to be moving if it's not right now, check your pulse.
You might not be alive.
Well, we thought there was going to be a ton of runs and the ball flying out of the ballpark, and it's kind of been a little bit of a pitchers duel.
We've had some really good defense as well.
First pitch to Tauber is a ball.
Oh, absolutely.
Great defense.
A couple of great plays, but a couple of errors though to have opened the door.
Let's see what Tauber can do.
Oh another pitch is a ball.
Tauber two for three.
A couple of singles and a sacrifice groundout.
The infield kind of comes in a couple of steps, gives Metz some encouragement.
You're right.
The hearts are pounding out there.
And that's a good pitch strike.
I think she's taking the whole way on that one now.
Now we get the old the old Little League thing.
Two one.
They got to come to.
You It ain't going to be too good though.
From Metz not going to be very good.
But boy, down that left field line, if she can go opposite field, there is a wide open down the line all the way to the fence.
If they pitch her out that way and she takes it, she's a good enough hitter that she can do that.
She can run for days.
Really.
Three ball one track.
Coach calls Tauber work ethic insane.
See what she can do on this three one.
It's a strike Now the battle begins right here.
Full count.
You kind of waited out Metz.
Now you just want to make some contact.
Solid contact.
Put it in play.
Try to find the outfield.
The three two from Metz Tauber.
Sanchez Pitlick out.
Number 1.
Taylor Sanchez over to.
All right, Laura, now, I say, I would assume they're going to walk Roth.
And they will.
It all hinged on that last play.
If Tauber is on base, Roth Roth is up right now, but now she'll go to first on the intentional walk for the second time today.
You know a couple of things about that last play.
Sanchez charged it and kind of short hopped her, pulled her head a little bit, but smothered that ball.
Got it in the glove and threw her out.
So great defensive play to stay with it.
Kind of feel like Tauber might have swung at ball four.
It was up in her, up in the zone, but those are ones you can't take in that situation.
I'm going to go back to what Brooke and I talked about last night.
She loved the high pitch.
A lot of those good hitters do, and Tauber is one of those great hitters and tried to do the same.
The zero one coming is high Way to lay off there.
By Kylie Sieverding, who's two for three, by the way, in this game, a couple of singles would love to get another one here.
She represents the winning run.
Here in the seventh, the pitch hit hard to right, slicing at the line, making the grab is Kalon Spratt and there's two gone.
Got a good swing on that one and took it to the opposite field.
Spratt got a great jump on it.
Gets herself in position and quickly gets it in to first base.
Trying to double up Roth.
Williamsburg won the semifinal three two.
They lead the final this year three two.
In the seventh, it's up to Addie Klein first pitch.
Ball.
Last night we had Waukee Northwest walk it off.
Is there a little gold left in those Eagle uniforms?
The one out coming from Metz Change up.
Floats in for a strike.
That pitch has been really good for her today and especially late in the game.
Kept that ball down right around the knees.
That's been a good one that they've made that adjustment to here in the middle part of the ball game.
The one one to Klein hit in the air, foul and out of play And now the Eagles are down to their last strike.
Just after 4:00 here on the 25th of July 2025.
Williamsburg has been in this position before two times in the last two years.
They've been champs.
A strike away.
The pitch hit hard to right, base.
Hit.
Don't go anywhere yet, says Addie Klein.
Don't get all dramatic on me, Paul.
This is a base hit.
Time out on the field.
Solid swing and a good job.
That ball on the outer part of the plate takes it into right field.
And now going to try to settle down both sides.
Here we go, here we go.
All right.
Two down.
I'm ferch Anna Roling.
You all right?
Here we.
Go.
Yes.
You're Roling.
Absolutely.
You've got.
Julia Roth is at second.
Klein is at first representing the winning run.
I don't.
Think so.
No.
No, coach Birdie's just saying.
Let's get the out.
Get the out, make some good pitches, get the out Take a deep breath.
And over on the other side, Coach Lang has said, hey, we're moving on the crack of the bat.
I'm sending.
You any base, is what he would say.
Sadie Schultz hit a hard one to center back in the second.
A double would win it.
Most likely these runners are going to be running on contact.
Two outs.
The pitch to Sadie Schultz goes with that great pitch.
It's worked all day.
Laura.
She has started hitters off with that off speed.
She's throwing it in the middle of the sequence.
She's not really shown a pattern to win.
She has thrown it.
Jacob Holub calls the pitches and he has called that one a lot today.
That one is chopped foul.
Hughes picks it up and now again.
The Golden Eagles are down to their last strike.
Sadie Schultz up to her one for two today Bats here in the bottom of the seventh.
Two on, two outs.
Championship game here in three.
A off the plate.
Good.
Stop by Ness in the dirt.
Schultz has had that breakout season.
She said her confidence level has just grown throughout the season.
She was overthinking stuff.
See what she does here.
The pitch hit in the air, playable.
This could be it.
Is three.
In a row.
For the Williamsburg Raiders.
They are your champions again.
The fifth time.
That anybody's gone three.
In a row.
In history.
Wahlert Catholic two.
And what a quality game this was.
And we thought we talked about we thought it was going to be a ton of runs back and forth.
Well, it was back and forth, but it was with minimal runs and it was great defense, great pitching, some timely hitting that gets Williamsburg.
Another championship.
You know that w it's got those three peaks.
They can put a ring on each one of them now.
And Williamsburg congratulations.
What a run for Williamsburg.
They have really put together a great team, a great culture, a group of girls that understand the philosophy and want to work hard, work on their fundamentals.
And it has certainly paid off for them.
The handshake line between these two teams that played last year in the semis, they played here in the finals.
It got started in the first Makenna Hughes After the Carly Rich bunt, then scores on the next play or two plays later after Pitlick drove in the run and then Kalon Spratt comes home to score.
And then the Eagles made it interesting there in the third.
And then in the fifth.
This was the difference.
A couple of key hits from Williamsburg Hughes, Gorsh were the difference, and that's how we celebrate as Pitlick makes the last out and they have the Raider pile in the circle.
Let's meet the all tournament.
Team.
Alley Gorsh first.
From Wahlert Catholic Riley Sieverding.
From Williamsburg Taylor Pitlick.
From PCM Libby Winters.
And she's the one that went over the top From Albia.
Grace pence.
From Estherville.
Lincoln central.
Hillary Rucci.
From Washington, Ella Griner.
The last two.
From Wahlert Catholic Hayley Lang.
Team.
From Williamsburg Makenna Hughes From Wahlert Catholic Julia Roth.
And your 2025 class Three-a all tournament team captain from Williamsburg Jersey Metz.
Well, class three a Laura.
The all tournament you players from.
You know everybody that played.
But I mean this is such a these are two really good teams.
That probably was one of the hardest decisions to see.
Who was on the tournament All-Tournament team?
I think it's tough year in and year out and class to class to figure out, because there's such great performances that happen here at the state tournament.
And, you know, you look at these two teams, Williamsburg is going to lose some seniors off this team and that have been here three and four straight years, and they're going to lose some of those seniors in that leadership.
But they have those players that are waiting to come in off the bench and take those spots.
And then you look at Wahlert.
They only have one senior on that team.
This team for Wahlert is going to be back.
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 three, head coach Tyler Lang and the Wahlert Catholic Golden Eagles on an outstanding 2025 softball season.
And your 2025 class Three-a State Softball Champions.
Head coach Adam and the Williamsburg Raiders.
Williamsburg has won three state championships in school history.
2023, 2024 and now 2025.
Laura, this is a great run.
Five seniors in the starting lineup, but you saw the underclassmen do not count out this team next year.
No don't count.
Never count them out I think they've got it's a well-oiled machine.
And so you don't count them out.
And I think again next year Three-a is going to be a very competitive class.
And we've seen two of the teams that could be back here.
But for this year they're celebrating in Williamsburg again.
Class three A goes to the Raiders.
It was a good one.
That's one of three here.
Class 3A Championship is in the books and it's history.
We're getting started.
We got two more to come here on Iowa PBS.
My thanks to all the crew that brought it and you for watching so.
Long from.
Fort Dodge.
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