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♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ The final day.

The final game of the 2026 state softball season.

The entire season comes down to one.

The class five, a heavyweight title bout.

♪♪ We've seen four trophies find new owners in Des Moines and in Admiral and in Clarksville, and most recently in Dubuque.

Headed to Waller.

Now it's a battle between Dallas and Polk counties here in Fort Dodge.

It's number two, Ankeny Centennial.

And number one, Waukee Northwest Wolves here in the five.

A championship matchup.

Hello everybody.

Along with Laura Leonard, I'm Paul Yeager.

Laura, this is a game we've both seen a couple of times this season.

They're playing for the fourth time this year.

They've all been really good.

But this one has a different vibe tonight.

Describe it here.

The atmosphere is crazy.

I think the anticipation is crazy.

As you have mentioned, they've met before, been high scoring games.

I think we're going to see another high scoring game here.

Again.

We are seeing one of the best players in all of the country, let alone the state of Iowa.

And we also are seeing a team that can hit the ball well their fifth time.

To state the centennial.

Jaguars.

Oh, by the way, 92 team home runs.

That's a record.

That is amazing.

And they do it from all fields.

They go left field, they hit them out to right field.

They hit them up the middle, out to center field.

This is a team top to bottom.

Anybody can hit one out.

And then it's a pitcher who also leads off for Waukee Northwest in Sophia Schlader fifth trip to state since the school is opened, they are the defending champions looking to do it again with that incredible player in the middle.

Yeah she is.

That's where it all begins for northwest, but they also have some speed on the basepaths, and they also have some hitters in the lineup as well.

But before we have to meet some special individuals with their history of the game, let's go upstairs to Tim Fitzpatrick to meet our Hall of Fame.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union awards the golden plaque of distinction to a coach in each sport that demonstrates a successful career while making notable contributions toward school, community and the coaching profession.

Presenting this year's Golden Plaque of Distinction Award in softball is IGHSAU executive director Aaron Gerlich and softball administrator Jason Esslinger, Tia Styles of Southeast Polk is a 2026 softball recipient of the Golden Plaque Award.

Tia just completed her 27th season as a softball coach at Southeast Polk.

She has enjoyed tremendous success with the Rams, leading them to nine state tournament appearances, which includes a semifinal finish in this year's five AA state tournament.

She has built the Southeast Polk program around the core value of community service, while ten of her former players have returned to coach at Southeast Polk, while two are coaching collegiately, Tia is a member of the Iowa Girls Coaches Association Softball Coaches Hall of Fame and currently serves on the IGC, a softball Committee.

Ladies and gentlemen, congratulations to this year's IGHSAU recipient of the Softball Golden Plaque of Distinction, Tia Stiles of Southeast Polk.

♪♪ ♪♪ And now, at this time, we would like to introduce our 2026 Softball Hall of Fame inductees.

Presenting the awards as Executive Director of the IGHSAU Erin Gerlich.

Today's first honoree becomes the first Boone Toreador to join the Softball Hall of Fame, compiling a 34 and 26 record.

Her first two seasons.

Her career took off from there as a sophomore.

She went 31 and eight with a 40.43 ERA, 272 strikeouts and 20 shutouts in 269 innings.

She earned first team class IAEA All-State honors and pitched her way to the state tournament, where she twice, twice lost by a score of one to nothing, allowing just eight hits and three runs in three appearances as a junior, she went 33 and two with a 0.14 ERA, 358 strikeouts, 28 shutouts and five no hitters.

As a senior, she threw seven no hitters, including two perfect games.

She went 29 and three with an 017 ERA, 347 strikeouts in 204 innings and held opponents to a 0.083 batting average.

She was named the class three player of the Year and Pitcher of the year elite all state over her final three seasons alone, she went 93 and 13 with 17 no hitters.

Her career totals 127 wins, 39 losses, a 0.67 ERA, 1251 strikeouts, 81 shutouts and no hitters.

Opponents batted 124 against her for five years.

She took those talents to Iowa State and then to the University of Nebraska Omaha in her first full season at Uno, she went 182 with a 1.69 ERA.

The following year, she helped the Mavericks win the North Central Conference Tournament and reached the NCAA Division Two regional, earning the win in the conference championship game.

A preseason eye injury before her junior year ended her career.

Since her playing days, she has worked in business development for ten years.

She and her husband, Josh, reside in Waukee and have four young daughters that are following in their mother's softball footsteps.

Please welcome to the IGHSAU Softball Hall of Fame from Boone High School.

Jenny Pritchard Briggs.

[APPLAUSE] ♪♪ ♪♪ Our next inductee is Susan Slinkard.

♪♪ She started at West Des Moines Valley from 2000 to 2004, and was one of the architects of the Tigers emergence as a big school softball power playing catcher.

She earned special mention class three All-State honors.

Serving notice that something special was developing by your junior season.

The whole state had taken notice.

She batted 372 with six home runs, drove in 62 runs, third best in the state, and guided her team to the class three, a state championship at the state tournament.

She was even better, batting 500 with four RBIs and was named to the all tournament team as a senior.

She reached another gear entirely, a 410 batting average with 64 hits, 46 runs scored and 44 RBIs.

She earned elite All-State recognition both her junior and senior seasons.

She then took her talents to Drake University, where she spent four years as a letterwinner and became a full time starter in her junior and senior season.

She posted slugging percentages above 440 and 480, making her one of the most feared power hitters in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Her senior season brought the best of everything together.

She batted 215 with nine home runs and 30 RBIs, earned first team all Missouri Valley Conference Scholar Athlete honors and helped lead her Drake team to both the MVC Tournament Championship and the NCAA tournament.

She finished her college career ranked eighth in school history in career walks.

She now resides in Cedar Rapids, where she is a medical oncologist, and she is raising three boys.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join us in welcoming our newest Hall of Famer from West Des Moines Valley Hall of Famer Susan Slinkard.

♪♪ [APPLAUSE] Our next ♪♪ Fame inductee is Skylar of Urbandale.

From the first time she stepped onto a softball diamond for Urbandale, it was clear she was something different.

Five years, five All-State selections with video game statistics.

As an eighth grader, she batted 516 with eight double, six triples and four home runs, earning second team class AA, all state recognition.

Her freshman through senior seasons brought four consecutive first team all state honors.

She batted 506, then 477, then 582, then 524 straight seasons above 475 in Iowa's most competitive class, her on base percentages set above 520 every year.

However, she was most dangerous on the base paths, where she had 131 stolen bases in just 141 attempts over her career.

In her senior year at the state tournament, she batted 700 with a home run, two RBIs and three runs scored.

She was named all tournament four times in four state tournament appearances.

Her career totals speak for themselves.

A 521 batting average, 365 hits and 13 home runs across five seasons.

She had four, 84 in 12 state tournament games.

She was, quite simply, one of the most complete offensive players in the history of Iowa high school softball.

She took those tools to Northwestern University, where she immediately became a star in the Big Ten.

She earned all conference honors three times, including first team in 2021.

In 2022, she helped lead the Wildcats to a 45 and 13 record and a berth in the Women's College World Series.

She graduated ranking fifth in northwestern Harry history in runs, seventh in hits and ninth in steals.

She currently is a sales rep for game one while coaching high school softball at John Curtis Christian Academy in New Orleans.

Today.

She is here tonight with her family and fiance Vaughn and Bamford.

Ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome her back to Rogers Park from Urbandale High School Hall of Famer Skylar Meyer.

[APPLAUSE] ♪♪ [APPLAUSE] ♪♪ Our next inductee is Krista Unger from Missouri Valley.

♪♪ Our next honoree becomes the first Hall of Fame inductee to hail from Missouri Valley.

She was an all state selection four times in her first two seasons.

She was dangerous enough with a bat in her hand, hitting above 259 with doubles in RBIs each year.

But it was in the pitching circle where she truly excelled as a sophomore.

She went 22 and eight with a 2.34 ERA and 344 strikeouts.

As a junior, she improved to 28 and seven with a 1.07 ERA and 232 strikeouts, earning first team class two AA All-State honors.

And then in her senior season, she put together one of the most dominant individual years in Iowa softball history, a 26 and ten record with a 0.64 ERA, 377 strikeouts in 251 and two thirds innings.

A 417 batting average, three home runs and 38 RBIs.

First team all state again, her career record of 96 wins, 34 losses and 1105 strikeouts in 847 innings.

She took her arm to the University of Nebraska Omaha, where she became the most decorated pitcher in school history.

She holds the record for career wins, 106 and career appearances, starts, complete games and innings pitched.

She also holds the single season records for victories, shutouts, era and opponents batting average.

In 2001.

As a sophomore, she pitched her maverick team to the NCAA Division two national championship, throwing a two hit shutout in the title game.

She was a three time all North Central Conference selection and an all region honoree.

But even that was only the beginning of her story.

She transitioned to coaching, and the results have been equally impressive.

In eight seasons at Wayne State, she compiled a 270 and 154 record, set the school's all time coaching victories record, and led the team to three NCAA Division two tournament appearances in eight seasons at South Dakota State.

She went 238 and 164 with two NCAA tournament appearances, and was named Summit League Coach of the year three times.

The most decorated coach in jackrabbit history.

Today, she is in her fourth season leading the program at Creighton University.

She and her husband, Alex, have two sons, Braxton and Myles.

Please welcome to the IGHSAU Softball Hall of Fame from Missouri Valley.

Christa Unger.

[APPLAUSE] ♪♪ Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the IGHSAU Softball Hall of Fame class of 2026.

Jenny Pritchard, Susan Slinkard, Skylar Meyer and Christa Unger.

Congratulations, ladies.

♪♪ [APPLAUSE] ♪♪ Congrats you guys.

Congratulations to those four as they have new members of the Hall of Fame and always kind of fun to see some of the family support staff.

Tom Bakey here, head coach at Valley and Chad Meyer, father of one of the new inductees who's a basketball official.

We see Laura and a lot of hours with all those families.

They've given so much to the their kids and happy to see the results, to get into the Hall of Fame.

That is always a special ceremony that you get to see the former athletes come back, be honored for their accomplishments, and who knows, some of these players we see out here that we've seen here today, in the next few years, we might see them here.

I think today we've come close to probably seeing 1 or 2, I think in for sure in our 13 years of doing coverage here.

Laura, I think we've seen future Hall of Famers today.

This one you could easily put a couple of the players that we're about to see in this contest.

You know, we are now going to go back up to Tim Fitzpatrick for the introductions for tonight's teams.

Because I didn't think it was that bad either.

But then I was just.

All right guys congratulations on getting here.

I'm sure you guys have been here before, but Tarp rule down the left field line.

So lean on it.

No feet.

The ball gets behind it.

Throw hands up.

Everything should be fairly tight.

I know we've had some questions about if balls can get out down the lines on the outfield.

Same thing if it gets out, just throw your hands up.

So all players legally and properly equipped.

That's my knowledge.

Perfect.

Let's emphasize good sportsmanship, hustling and out.

We'll hustle for you guys.

If you do happen to have a question, wait for the ball to get in the circle.

We'll call time and address it.

At that point.

All right.

Sounds good.

Any questions for us.

[APPLAUSE] Any questions for you guys.

[APPLAUSE] Go back to you guys.

[APPLAUSE] Appreciate you.

[APPLAUSE] Appreciate coach.

[APPLAUSE] Good luck.

[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] ♪♪ Good evening softball fans and welcome to Rogers Sports Complex in Channel Field for this five eight championship game.

Between the Ankeny Centennial Jaguars and the Waukee Northwest Wolves.

[APPLAUSE] It's time to meet our teams.

First of all from Ankeny Centennial.

Here are your Nonstarters number three Lexi Adams.

Number four Layla Burnett.

Number six Abby Lathrop.

Number seven Audrey Sandholm.

Number eight Bradlynn Virchow.

Number 14 Etta Maurer.

Number 15 Gracie Anderson.

Number 16.

Addi Frederick.

Number 18 Lydia Lacy.

Number 20.

Lyla Hoeppner.

Number 23.

Lauren Bartine number 24.

Ashley Sterling.

Number 29 Bella Anderson.

[APPLAUSE] Number 31.

Mackenzie Lane and Kiana Delaney.

Your assistant coach is Ashley Allen Tory Bennett and Sami Miller.

And now here's your starting lineup for the Jaguars of Ankeny Centennial leading off playing right field number 17, Corey Lincicum batting second at second base.

Number 22 Ava Faber batting third, playing third base.

Number 25 Jordyn Kennedy clean up hitter for Jaguars in center field.

Number 11 Maddie Ott batting fifth in left field.

Number 12 Mylie Hatfield batting six.

Playing first base.

Number 26.

Delaney Wyble batting seventh.

The designated player.

Number 19.

Lauren Sandholm batting eight.

Doing the catching.

Number one.

Emmy Ott batting in the ninth position at shortstop.

Number nine Cami Starr and your flex player doing the pitching.

Number two Peyten Spiegel head coach for the Jaguars Brett Delaney.

[APPLAUSE] And now let's meet the home team, the Wolves of Northwest.

Here are your Nonstarters number one Peyten Olson.

Number three Edie Collins.

Number four Natalie Zatloukal.

Number eight Ellie Madden.

Number nine.

Gabby Kerschke.

Number 12 Taylor Nuss.

Number 18.

Aaliyah Glenn.

Number 20.

Isla Hansen.

Number 21.

Sophia Walton and number 23 Claire Martins.

Your assistant coaches.

Andy Briggs.

Kaitlyn Williams.

Emily Jamison and Morgan Roberts.

And now here's your starting lineup for Waukee Northwest.

Leading off doing the pitching number 11.

Sophia Schlader batting second at second base.

Number six, Elena Schulte batting third, doing the catching.

Number ten.

Kenley Sanger clean up hitter for the wolves at third base.

Number five Hazel Leinen batting fifth.

The designated player.

Number 22 Maya Twigg batting sixth at first base double zero.

Leela Appeldorn batting seventh in left field.

Number 17 Meredith Thompson batting eighth, playing shortstop.

Number two Maggie Allen batting in the ninth position in center field.

Number 16 Shay Davis.

And your flex player in right field.

Number 13 Neva Polc, head coach for the Wolves Kori Eby.

Now, fans, please turn your attention to the home plate area.

The umpires assigned to this championship game by the IGHSAU at first base.

Jeff Niehaus at third base.

Deidra Moore and calling the balls and strikes this evening.

Jake Parker all right.

Who's ready to win a state championship?

[APPLAUSE] The lights taking full effect here.

We are going to have a prime time softball game.

Getting close to the 8:00 hour, which means anything can happen when the sun goes down here tonight.

All right.

Laura Waukee Northwest number one.

How do they go back to back tonight?

I think that they just they have to play clean.

They have to have good pitching.

They have to stay within themselves.

And one thing that Coach Eby has always said, worry about themselves.

Don't worry about who you're playing.

Thompson, Davis Polc left to right Leinen Allen.

Schulte.

Appeldorn on the infield, third to first.

Kenley Sanger behind the plate and in the circle.

The super sophomore Sophia Schlader.

There's a look at the pitcher that so many want to see in person.

What are we going to see from this 28 and 0.69 ERA pitcher?

She can bring it all.

She can mix her pitches, change, rise, fastball.

She's got a lot of movement on it and got a lot of speed.

These hitters are going to have to be ready to try to catch up to it.

This lineup, though, for Ankeny Centennial, is one full of power right there.

Kori Lincicum she'll lead things off.

Ava Faber.

Jordyn Kennedy, who's in the running for most all time home runs in Iowa.

Softball history.

Mady Ott, who had two in the game Wednesday.

Mylie Hatfield Delaney.

Wyble.

Lauren Sandholm Emmy Ott, who had two home runs in of her own.

And then in the ninth spot, Cami Starr Peyten Spiegel doing the pitching tonight.

We'll get to her in a little bit.

The keys to this game.

Well, Centennial needs to be disciplined.

They cannot go after bad pitches, make Schlader come into them, and then make the routine plays.

Just be good on defense, make the routine plays.

Northwest one pitch at a time.

You're going up against a team that hits a lot of home runs.

Take it one pitch at a time and then take advantage of opportunities.

When you get some runners on, got to move them around.

These two teams are familiar with each other.

They have met three times this year.

Northwest took a game at Ankeny Centennial back in June, and then a couple of weeks later, the two split a doubleheader.

We play game four in the state championship class five A on June the 24th, 2026.

First pitch from Schlader is a strike.

So you had mentioned these teams had met three times before in the regular season.

Schlader only pitched once against them, so they have only seen her one time, and she's bringing it with some heat.

Lincecum little uppercut tried to get Ahold of that.

You know Schlader is going to generate the power.

You just have to be able to make contact with it.

The rise ball is one of the most hard pitches to hit, and that pitch before was a great rise ball right there, a little different look, Laura, she offers a lot of different, incredibly hard pitches.

She does and she hits her spots too.

She knows exactly which corner she wants to go to.

Lincicum doing a good job of adjusting at the plate after that one rise ball, she's laid off the last two.

And that is the oh, we've said it time and time again.

The two two pitch coming from Slater to Lincecum that's fouled off into the screen.

This is the loudest.

We've had it here for a championship game tonight.

Nary an empty seat to be found anywhere.

We've got pink wigs.

We'll tell you about those in a minute.

We've got dads and grandpas and moms standing, pacing, settling in for a good one.

That one's fouled off right behind us.

We'll do it again at two, two.

Northwest won the first two in the regular season, 6 to 5, 7 to 3.

Then Centennial won the last one of that three game series, 9 to 7.

So a lot of runs scored.

You've got good pitching on both sides.

But the bats were able to come through and get to these pitchers.

However again, you only saw Schlader once in that three game series.

Only saw Lincecum.

I think once for minimal amount of time or not.

Excuse me.

Lundholm for a short amount of time.

Again fouls off and hits the umpire in the right arm.

I said.

I told the umpires to have fun, not to get hurt.

Yeah.

I took that one off the right arm on that replay.

And you know how we had very quick At-Bats in those first couple of games?

I don't think we're going to get a lot of those as this is pitch number nine coming right now.

Between Schlader and Lincicum.

That's ball four.

Lead off.

Runner aboard for the Jaguars.

[APPLAUSE] Good lead off at bat by Lincicum.

Battled at the plate.

Fouled off pitches and was able to lay off the rise ball and get the walk.

71 degrees at first pitch.

Wind out of the south at eight miles an hour.

That's blowing straight out here.

Bunt is showed and down by Faber.

The throw to first is in time.

Faber moves Lincecum to second.

[APPLAUSE] Good bunt that just deadens it.

Dies in the field out there.

And so the only play is to first base.

That ball sailed a little bit and Schulte doing a great job keeping the toe on the corner of the bag to haul that throw in.

Jordyn Kennedy, the senior from the hot corner.

[LAUGHTER] First pitch is a strike.

[APPLAUSE] And this Jaguar team is a team that goes a lot to right field.

A lot of their home runs go to right field.

18 home runs for Kennedy.

Great average.

The oh one is again high.

[APPLAUSE] Jaguars trying to be disciplined here as there's a look at Lincecum at second.

One ball one strike the pitch from Schlader swing and a miss by Kennedy.

She's challenging her.

The future Golden gopher for the University of Minnesota.

Steps out of the box, takes a couple of extra steps.

She hasn't been challenged much this year.

Let's see what Schlader spins up.

Ball.

There was some serious pop going on.

Kennedy's last home run was on July 8th, so she's been in a little bit of a home run drought.

But again, a lot of teams don't pitch to her very often.

The two two is fouled off.

That one looked good.

Kennedy knew it got a piece to stay alive.

I'm not even sure how they can get the bat going through the zone that is.

We're sitting right behind the plate and that ball is coming in so fast.

Lifted high in the air to left or to center, and it's going to get down.

And Kennedy, here comes the throw into the infield, but not to the plate.

As Lincecum scores the game's first run.

[APPLAUSE] One nothing Ankeny Centennial.

Kennedy got just enough of that one.

It drifts into right center field, and Davis had a hard time getting to it.

And then the two converge, and it looks like Polc got knocked down and then had to throw from her backside.

Lincecum kind of got hung up because she had to wait to see if it was going to be caught.

Once she saw it on the ground, they waved her home.

Mady Ott, the center fielder outstanding in the field.

Not too shabby at the plate, swings through the first one as Schlader gets ahead.

Here's one of those dual sport athletes that we talked about in the last game.

Volleyball softball player.

Good.

Good pitch.

Backs up in on Ott.

Not too bad at volleyball at Centennial either.

These two teams great in volleyball and in softball.

The oh two.

Here's the thing about Schlader she's missing, but not by much.

That's what makes that zero two pitch so hard.

A great disciplined hitter approach is going to be needed tonight by the Jaguars.

Allen fouled away.

I think that's what Centennial has done all season long.

They're experienced.

They've got nine seniors on this team.

So most Coach Delaney has ever had on a team.

But they all wanted to come back.

They wanted to try to come after a state title.

That one's low and it's just fouled by.

I'm not even going to say four inches.

That's more like two right in front of Coach Delaney.

He was waving Kennedy.

It's the plate gets a little bit dirty there with Ott.

Two home runs against Southeast Polk to put them into the championship game.

Her sister Emmy Ott hit two home runs in that game.

Trying to get the paint off.

They've hit a couple of home runs in the same inning this year and the same game.

A little sister rivalry.

The one two goes high and Ott stays in the box.

Now with a two ball, two strike count.

, and it's becoming a long inning for Schlader, making her throw a lot of pitches to start this ball game.

That one's fouled that one off of Sanger's mask back into the screen.

Good catch.

I mentioned that it's 71 degrees Rutte Schlader has gone to that bag behind the circle on nearly every pitch, trying to get that good grip.

That one's fouled off.

Ott just sticks the bat out.

There's a lot of adrenaline going, and maybe the fingertips are cold.

You need a little rosin on there to make sure that you can feel the ball, get the good grip on the seams to get the spin that you want.

Two two is off the plate.

Strike three.

That was a perfect placement of that pitch.

She'd been going up, and then they get her on the outer half and just grazes the outside corner.

Schlader has thrown 25 pitches already, and that pitch was on the plate for a strike, and now it's Mylie Hatfield, who swings and misses at the first offering Hatfield, a 369 hitter with 14 home runs, headed to South Dakota State.

The pitch up and in ball one.

If you offer.

Umpires are going to get a lot of help tonight from these fans.

One ball, one strike.

One side's going to agree.

The other side's going to disagree.

The one one is a strike.

And now you know that that pitch is being called.

So now you're going to have to go out and then get out and cover that corner.

The one two swing and a miss.

Strike three.

Two strikeouts for Schlader here in the first Jaguars strike.

First they get a run.

They lead one.

Nothing.

Coach Delaney heads back to the dugout with a one run lead and the Wolves coming up.

And here is a look at that last strikeout and the rise ball.

Laura.

Rise ball on the outer part of the plate.

Tough one to catch up to.

Jaguars run down the line to get warm and the Jaguars run out to go.

Play defense here in the outfield.

It's going to be Hatfield, Ott and Lincicum and Jordyn Kennedy at third, Starr at short, Faber at second.

Delaney Wyble at first.

Emmy Ott is the catcher and the pitcher is going to be Lauren Sandholm.

So a change from the lineup with Peyten.

Spiegel.

And they go.

Sandholm, whose coach Delaney has many, many options.

Laura, tell me about you've seen Sandholm a couple of times this year.

Yeah, she is a pitcher that can move the ball around the zone.

She also has a little pace to her pitches as well.

Has that good rise.

Ball has a good drop curve and she is going to make these hitters work.

♪♪ So Sandholm, who is committed to Mississippi State in the SEC, not a bad league for softball.

No, that's pretty good.

Pretty good league.

Here's the order she has to face.

There's the pitcher Schlader.

She'll lead things off.

Schulte the speedster in that two spot.

The catcher Sanger, who just does everything coach has asked.

And Leinen Twigg Appeldorn, Thompson, Allen and Davis to round things out.

So there's no protecting the pitcher here for coach Kori Eby and her squad.

Schlader leads things off.

Even when she's not pitching, she's still a dominant force in the batter's box.

She is.

She is a tough out and maybe not your typical leadoff that you would see.

Usually a lot of times see that lefty slapper up there, somebody that's that track runner, speedster.

But she is a hitter that can hit it out of the ballpark.

And they have her in that leadoff spot so they can get her that maybe that one extra at bat.

Swings at the first pitch, gloved by Starr across to Wyble for out number one.

Being aggressive and going after the first pitch.

Now you kind of have the second leadoff.

Delaney Schulte.

This is the speedster from the left side of the plate, and she just needs to put it in play and she will be down the first base line in the blink of an eye.

For.

Schulte on the season.

A 388 hitter, 45 hits.

17 runs driven in.

You see her 35 stolen bases so she can make her way around the path in a hurry.

And that one misses from Sandholm.

Not surprised that Sandholm goes into the circle, and I. Initially we were given the lineup that it was going to be Peyten Spiegel and she pitched against Southeast Polk on Wednesday.

Coach Delaney several options.

We'll see how Sandholm starts here.

She's behind two zero.

She throws a strike.

Here.

Yeah.

They have a deep pitching staff.

Centennial does.

And so they have do have a lot of options to try to throw at this northwest lineup.

The two one is a strike.

And we are hanging on every pitch here in the stands.

Two balls, two strikes.

Elaine Cubb.

Popped up and Jordyn Kennedy makes a diving grab.

What a play!

You could see her eyes focused on that ball.

It was not very high up in the air, but what an effort by Kennedy got jammed on that one.

And she lays out and is able to glove.

It.

If Kennedy is not playing in at third, she doesn't have a chance to make that play.

But with the slap and bunt in order, that gave her a chance.

So now the pitch to the catcher Kenley Sanger fouled back into the screen.

Nothing in one Sandholm gets ahead.

341 hitter on the season, ten home runs.

[APPLAUSE] The pitch, called strike.

And this is northwest first look at Sandholm.

I thought she had pitched in one of those games, but took a look at my notes and I was incorrect.

This is her first time against this lineup, so they're going to have to make some adjustments to her.

The zero two has popped up into the screen.

You don't think that that's been thought about by both of these coaches.

This is a matchup that I think and Laura let's let's be honest in five A this is the this has been the talk for the majority of the year.

This is how this would end with these two.

And you know that the coaches are 52 steps ahead of anything that I'm thinking about.

And that's this is the moment the off speed.

They probably saw the schedule and they started thinking about it probably back in early May, maybe late April, figuring out, okay, who are we going to throw when we see these guys?

And what are we going to do?

And how are we going to manipulate our lineups?

Because we may see each other in the state championship.

High and tight.

Strike three.

Sandholm gets a K and gets the Wolves in order.

One, two, three.

Both of these teams, as we take a look at that strikeout.

Again, did not need the double elimination format, but we're going to tell you how it worked in the other classes.

It worked in all the classes as well.

But here's an explainer.

♪♪ This year, the girls state softball tournament adopted a hybrid double elimination format leading up to the title game in round one, eight teams play in round two.

The winners from round one play each other, while the losers do the same.

Round three sees the loser between the round two winners play the winner of the round one.

Losers who battled it out in round two in round four.

The winner of the round two's winning teams takes on the winner of round three, but if the round two winner loses and both teams have one loss, the same teams play again in round five to determine who goes to the class title game.

However, if they win, round five is not necessary and they automatically advance to the championship where the winner takes all.

♪♪ And here's how the bracket shook out.

♪♪ You see both northwest and.

♪♪ Centennial.

There were a couple of playbacks southeast.

Polk had a chance to make it here.

So did Dallas Center-grimes, but five A was the class with the fewest amount of games in this double elimination tournament until the Championship game, when we have just winner take all in this contest.

And there's Coach Delaney talking to his batter, Delaney Wyble.

We get ready to go here in the second inning.

One nothing Jaguars over the Wolves here from Fort Dodge.

Paul Yeager Laura Leonard and our Iowa PBS crew.

That one is a good rise.

Ball goes off the glove of Sanger into the screen for ball number one.

[LAUGHTER] Wyble is a two year starter for the Centennial team.

And she fouls that one into the screen a little behind.

297 hitter 33 runs driven in.

She hit a grand slam against northwest in their second game of the regular season, so has some pop in the bat.

Leading off this inning, so nobody on base paths in front of her to repeat that feat.

But as we talked about, everybody in this lineup, they can swing it and they can hit it to all fields.

Wyble will continue her career at Wartburg.

The coaches that are here tonight from the upper levels of softball are amazing.

The two two, good pitch from Schlader to get Wyble out on strikes, and that's the second strikeout.

Both of them caught looking.

Schlader cannot.

She's still a sophomore tonight, which means she can't talk to these college coaches.

Not until September 1st.

So coaches have been up to watch.

They can talk to the coaching staff, but they can't talk to the player until September 1st.

I know that the Oklahoma coach, Gasso, is up not too long ago, watching practices, both pitching and hitting practices.

That's just a long line of coaches that will be parading to Waukee Northwest to take a look at Sophia Schlader.

Kind of like those days when there was that one player who played for Dowling Catholic basketball.

When we saw all of.

Yeah.

Every coach.

I wonder what ever happened to her.

No, I think her name's in the news.

Every once in a while.

[LAUGHTER] Her her head basketball coach.

[LAUGHTER] Her high school coach is here.

The zero two coming to Sandholm.

Ball and Lauren, who would have been in the lineup as a hitter anyway, is hitting tonight as the pitcher takes a breath.

Iowa Iowa State UCLA Texas or uniforms and colors.

That one is off the.

Plate.

That are here.

Now I'll just go ahead and put in a pitch for Drake.

Maybe we could talk her into going to Drake.

Two balls, two strikes.

Off the handle and right at Allen.

Got jammed.

Couldn't get the barrel to the ball.

And right at Allen playing her perfect.

Catch number two.

Stepping up the catcher.

Number one.

Good job of defensive alignment, I know all these players know exactly where they need to be.

Know what pitch is coming so they can line up properly.

[APPLAUSE] On the swing.

And she went at the bat.

Emmy Ott the catcher.

That one another that time.

Home plate umpire Jake Parker says I have her swinging without having to check.

Coach Delaney just said, you know, bring it down.

Calm down.

Don't be too aggressive up there.

The zero two.

Strike three.

All three of Schlader strikeouts, Laura, have been caught looking.

And it's been her location of where she is throwing these pitches.

That one up across the letters.

The other two have been on the outer side of the plate and low around the knees.

♪♪ Take an adventure with artists and dreamers.

Two everyday Iowans with inspiring stories.

Explore what makes our state shine on Iowa life.

Join host Charity Nebbe Mondays at 9:30 p.m.

And Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

Or stream online anytime.

You can also go to the PBS app and watch that.

We've got ourselves an Iowa life story here tonight, Laura, because the fans that are here to see this, we have plenty of people from Northwest and Centennial that are here, but there are a lot of softball observers that wanted to see the Schlader and the Jaguar teams up close and see it for themselves.

We've got a Minnesota recruit, you know, just we're having a good time dancing the pink shirts for northwest and for Centennial.

There's a look at the Jaguar fan base, which is to our right.

And they are watching Lauren Sandholm in the circle.

And she goes up to pitch again.

And there's a look at the pink wigs.

Those are the northwest moms.

And they came to play tonight.

And I think maybe having fun is maybe masking a little bit of the.

I think they're nerves.

They're having fun.

And I love the fact that they're into the pink color.

That's the color of the girls athletic union.

And you see the pink on the uniforms and the the girls have pink sleeves, pink throughout their hair.

It has kind of become a tradition to have that color somewhere intertwined within the uniform and then up in the stands.

Hazel Leinen hits the first pitch she sees to Faber, who has it over to Wyble.

Hazel Leinen is out for three for the first out.

Maya Twigg Leela Appeldorn do up.

And if anybody gets on Meredith Thomsen, that is four, five and six for this Wolves team.

So far have not really made solid contact with Sandholm.

[APPLAUSE] A couple of ground balls, one pop up that was an impressive play by Kennedy.

Yeah.

And a strikeout.

The zero one is fouled into the screen.

[APPLAUSE] ♪♪ Maya Twigg let's just say for the dominance that northwest has had in sports to be in the lineup as a freshman says something.

She's got abilities and she's got the talent, got her, worked her way in to that lineup, and she's one that, you know, she's still young.

She gets excited about everything, gets her teammates fired up and looking for that base hit to get that dugout going.

The one two from Sandholm is hit in the air to center.

It's going to get down for the Wolves first hit of the game, and it comes with one out here in the second.

[APPLAUSE] Well, she did get that base hit and starting to get that dugout fired up.

For 22.

[LAUGHTER] Kind of felt like they were playing a little tight to start this ball game.

They're going to get a pinch runner in.

And coming in for northwest.

Northwest.

Number 13 for DP.

So the flex goes in for the DP Polc in right field tonight.

[LAUGHTER] Having to talk to a couple of her friends before the game.

And they were excited as the northwest fans made the trip.

First pitch to Leela Appeldorn as a strike.

[APPLAUSE] 267 hitter.

The oh one swing and a miss.

Really challenged her on that pitch.

[APPLAUSE] ♪♪ Appeldorn was the DP last year.

Now she's got that starting role.

Over at first base.

One nothing Centennial Wolves batting here in their half of the second.

The one two swing and a miss.

And Appeldorn out on strikes for the second out of the inning.

Second strikeout of the game for Sandholm.

Sandholm has been moving the ball around very well again.

Look at that ball just tails away from the hitter as it climbs the ladder in the zone.

First pitch to Meredith Thompson is fouled into the screen and above, where Maggie Allen waits on deck.

There's Maggie's taking a couple of swings.

Thompson, a junior 376 hitter with 15 runs batted in.

She wears the number 17 and the blue uniforms that the wolves are wearing tonight.

That ball is inside Jaguars in their traditional black with white and some gray trim.

The wolves with the pinstripe Wolves around the front.

White socks and belt, sharp looking uniforms for both of these clubs.

Tonight, the one one upstairs Sandholm rise ball maybe a little higher than Schlader is right now in terms of it's going a little higher, not as close to the zone.

Any reason for that or just is that her pitch?

I know, I think she's kind of overthrowing it.

I think she's fired up and trying to get him to go after that pitch.

And there's a better pitch as far as the movement on it, and didn't get away from her.

And I think sometimes you get a little keyed up.

You try to overthrow it and overpower it and overpower the hitter, and it gets away from you.

Thompson, the two two pitch with two away here in the second two is wild all around the pitch popped up foul territory, drifting and coming back in is Kennedy right in front of the wolves dugout to make the great defensive play.

That is two huge defensive plays that Kennedy has made.

And you know what Laura?

We talk about multi-sport athletes, but we talk about off season training and getting your team to state is always a heavy lift for one player.

It comes with the territory.

Let's take a look at Waukee Northwest Sophia Schlader.

She is deadlifting over 400 pounds.

This is what she was doing as a freshman.

She's a sophomore this year.

How does that translate Laura to her pitching?

Well, we've seen those pitches come in.

They're popping the mitt every time it hits Sanger's glove.

Just the drive and the extension and the strength in those legs and the upper body help her so much with especially the velocity of those pitches.

She squats 370.

She hasn't maxed yet on clean.

She deadlifts now 520 pounds.

She works with Nick Jarosch performance in Ankeny, and she says he is really helped her with the.

The speed and the muscle.

She says that's so important.

You look at her push and her power.

Laura, I feel sorry for that rubber out there that she is pushing off against because that muscle.

Yeah.

That explosion is something unlike we have seen.

I feel sorry for Sanger's glove hand because she's having to catch that.

I mean, think of all the games that she's caught this season and that ball is coming in probably close to, I don't know, 70 miles an hour.

Yeah.

68.

I should have asked Kenley's dad if you know what.

How many gloves does she wear?

Cami Starr takes the first pitch, hits it to left, goes high, takes Appeldorn off the bag just for a moment, and Starr is away on a groundout to open up the third.

That will turn the lineup over for Kori, Lincicum and then Ava Faber.

And if anybody gets on back, we'll see on deck.

We'll see.

Or on base, we'll see.

Jordyn Kennedy.

I can get that out.

Lincicum oh, for no at bat registered because she walked her first time at the plate.

That was a great first at bat.

Laura.

I think it was something like 11 or 12 pitches.

Fouled off a few, finally adjusted, stayed off of a rise, a couple of rise balls, and then got the walk.

The oh one has popped up foul and up towards our camera.

It's above high home here.

He got a good look at the complex there, and the infield is probably going to stay this color after they wet it down with dirt as yes, the wind is blowing a little bit, but humidity is low.

The temperature is cool.

It's a great night.

The oh two.

Just misses.

That's kind of been her strikeout pitch area low and away.

And I think the more that they see that pitch, the Jaguars, they're going to start adjusting and taking that ball to the right field.

The one two rise ball again looked super good.

And if Centennial falls victim to that, this could get a very quick game.

That's a lot of strikeouts.

But so far the Jaguars able to lay off.

Let's see what they can do on two two.

That's a good pitch.

Schlader gets the strikeout of Lincicum.

Same spot.

That is their go to pitch right now to get the strikeout.

That's her fifth strikeout, and four of the five have been caught.

Looking.

Good job by Sanger to frame that pitch as well.

Swing and a miss by Ava Faber.

[APPLAUSE] Going to go on and play at Dmacc.

That one's fouled away in front of the Centennial Dugout, which.

Oh hey look who's popping out over there.

We've got.

They're just waiting to unleash some of the fun that they have in that Centennial dugout.

We'll talk about that here in a little.

[LAUGHTER] Bit.

There's Pablo or Pablito.

I'm not sure which course that is.

Yeah, they've got a couple of them that oversee everything that's happening on the field.

Overseeing.

What a good choice of words right there.

You got.

Oh, there they go.

There's both of them.

The one, two.

Oh, those are Laura.

That's right in front of me.

I there's no way I would lay off that.

That's also why I'm not playing.

[LAUGHTER] But that's such good discipline here.

And that's what's got them to this championship game is the way that they approach their at bats.

Two balls two strikes two outs here in the third one.

Nothing Ankeny Centennial ground ball up to Schlader a little slow roller.

Takes her time, makes the easy play after she knocks it down and the Jaguars go in order here in the third.

And we have seen Lauren Sandholm pitch about a third of the games for this season.

For the Jaguars.

And when she's been on she has been on.

And tonight what's she looking like Laura.

Well she's looking really good and maybe not as much extension as we saw with Schlader, but she can throw a lot of different pitches that rise.

That curve gets good spin on her pitches as well.

And they welcomed her back.

She took last year off and did some travel ball, wanted to come back and play with her team, play with her high school team.

And so a good addition to that very deep pitching staff that they have.

For mom.

Ellen was an athlete at Central College.

Lauren has a twin sister on the team.

And the thing about we're going to in a little bit, we're going to show you, look, we're we're hauling on our blankets.

Did they steal your blanket?

Laura.

That's my that's my blanket.

We're running trying to find spaces and get everybody fired up.

And there's probably.

The mascots here tonight.

We don't get the mascot very often at softball.

No.

It's a big game for the mascot to come out and support the team.

[APPLAUSE] Maggie Allen.

Shay Davis and Sophia Schlader do up for the Wolves.

Allen 269.

Usually does a good job of taking the ball right back up the middle.

Swings through that one.

Even the bats are pink for a lot of these players.

Seeing that bat a lot this week.

Trim on the gloves, the shoelaces.

Some of them have shoelaces that are pink.

[APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER] Yep.

[APPLAUSE] You're up.

[APPLAUSE] Good job with Ott and working with home plate umpire Jake Parker, asking where that was.

So then they can adjust and make sure that they're hitting the zone.

And these pitchers have that ability to make just that fine tune.

That's what makes them special.

And at the top of their game.

Right?

Sandholm checks the wrist for the pitch, winds and fires on three one, and that's a strike to make the count.

Full three balls, two strikes.

Nobody out here in the third.

Ankeny Centennial and black from northern Polk County.

The wolves of Waukee Northwest from eastern Dallas County doing battle.

That one's ball four.

And it's a leadoff walk to Maggie Allen.

Don't ever want to watch that leadoff runner now gives northwest some options.

Got some speed here at the bottom of the order.

And then you got the power right there in that leadoff spot with Schlader.

So you have to figure bunt defense is going to be on.

They're going to try to lay one down.

The pitch as Davis gets the bunt down.

Sandholm thought about going to second and still recovered in time to get the out, but not by much.

It doesn't matter.

It's an out.

That's a sacrifice.

Good job both on that play.

[APPLAUSE] She picked that ball up barehanded.

I just don't think she had the footwork right and the balance to be able to throw to second to get the out over there and was able, as you said, to recover and get the out over.

At first it was very close but fired a bullet over there.

Sophia Schlader first pitch ball.

[APPLAUSE] Now let's play a little chess, shall we, Laura?

What do you think Coach Delaney is thinking about here?

[APPLAUSE] The second and third time through the order as the Sandholm delivers.

And that's popped up behind first going back to get it as Wyble tagging up.

Or at least preventing the tag up is Wyble quick throw to Kennedy to get the out.

How long do you keep?

You're up one zero and Sandholm has been masterful so far, but what are you thinking about for second looks?

I think you stay with Sandholm as long as you can.

I think you have one of your other pitchers ready to go if need be, but Sandholm has been pretty good now.

She's struggled a little this inning.

She's labored a little bit, throwing more pitches than she had the first couple of innings.

But I think you kind of ride her arm for a little bit.

And this is a dangerous hitter here because she can do a lot of things with the bat.

The one zero to Elena Schulte and her speed is a strike.

[APPLAUSE] And that's the thing is she can put it in play cause chaos with the defense, maybe cause them to hurry a throw.

Chopped up the middle that might get through.

And it does.

Here comes the play.

The throw.

Not in time.

We're tied at one.

The throw back at first.

Doesn't matter.

Schulte the RBI to even it.

[APPLAUSE] She does such a great job of making the contact, pounding it into the ground, and a good job of keeping it in the infield.

They did get the throw home, but Allen was too quick right there.

Pounds it down in front of the home plate.

Good job over there.

By Faber to keep it in front.

And a nice slide.

Getting out and around to touch the plate.

You see Coach Eby cheering in the back of that one.

Yeah that was if you want somebody who's got passion about the game, I'd like you to meet Kori Eby please.

Loves the game.

He's been around it for a long time at many different levels.

The oh one that's high running is Schulte.

The throw by Ott down to second.

Not in time.

Ott has a great arm.

That was a pitch to do it.

It's just Schulte is so fast.

I asked her the other night, I said, when you get on and she knew what the question was to me, she goes, oh, I'm going, I'm going, I'm going.

And I go early in the catch.

She goes, oh yeah, right away.

A ball and a strike.

Two outs.

That's hit right at the second or right at short.

Cami Starr takes the liner out of the night sky for the third out, but not before the Wolves push a run across to tie us up at one Jaguars got the run in the first and the Wolves there in the third, and it is a beautiful night for softball as we get ready.

As we have our warm up catcher here for Schlader as Sanger is the one who just lined out so Kenley Sanger.

There's a look at Schlader in the circle.

She.

All right.

So recently, that gentleman, his name is Rick Sanger.

He was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association State Football Hall of Fame.

Back at the Uni-dome in November, he played for West.

Hancock, then went on to play at central.

Two time all linebacker rushed for over 3000 yards, 32 touchdowns, 183 tackles, six INTs.

His dad and Kenley's grandfather, Bob Sanger.

♪♪ Who passed away in 2020.

Coaching legend great human Bob coached at West Hancock for 52 years.

He racked a 358 160 record, and there's his granddaughter, Kenley Sanger, and always had a been able to talk to Rick all year.

Talked to him this week and just such an even keel.

The Sanger boys, great people, great football players.

Even though they went to central though, they're still fantastic.

But it's just so fun when you've got the lineage of some of these players, and we'll kind of talk about Jordyn Kennedy here.

Her mom was a pitcher for Pleasantville.

Her aunt who is here, we just haven't found her yet.

We're looking for her.

Who will tell you about that in a little bit?

Jordan's mom pitch for Pleasantville, then went on to pitch in college and Jordyn Kennedy pretty good career.

She's up two zero.

She singled back in her first at bat back in the first, trying to get something going here in the fourth.

That one is hit at short, knocked down the throw will not happen as Allen.

That was a rocket.

And I love it.

That northwest is challenging Kennedy.

They are not pitching around here.

They're letting her hit and Kennedy is probably going.

I haven't seen this many strikes since.

I don't know when.

Since July 8th.

When was the last time she had a home run?

But she is just happy to be able to swing the bat.

And you can see the power that she generates when she's able to get the barrel to the ball.

Schlader pitch goes high to Ott.

[APPLAUSE] Mady Ott the future Drake Bulldog wants to study business.

Her and Lincicum going to be Bulldogs.

The one zero.

Strike backs in that one had great movement to Laura.

That one just.

Got to try to catch it early.

Get it out in front of the plate.

[APPLAUSE] The one one.

When I asked Maddie, what's it like to face northwest again in the title game?

And she says, we just have to stay confident and trust each other.

And I think that's what this team is all about, that this team trusts one another.

They've come up together.

They've been together a long time.

When you've.

Have a group of as many seniors as you do at Centennial has nine seniors.

Got a little experience there and a little wisdom.

That one's fouled off into the screen near the coaches area.

Coming up, we're going to show you how some of those young women were here in 2020, and now they have been part of some great youth teams for the Jaguars.

The two two.

Chopped towards third.

They look to second throw to get Kennedy.

They get the lead runner on the fielder's choice.

So Ott will be aboard here with one out.

Second fielder's choice brings up left fielder Mylie Hatfield.

When any of the base runners get to first base for Centennial, they find a little piece of candy waiting for him.

A little Mike and Ike or a little skittle or something like that, but they get rewarded when they get to first base.

Mylie Hatfield trying to get one of them candies.

If she can get to first, the oh one.

That rise ball hard to lay off.

That one's getting closer to the zone.

[APPLAUSE] Couldn't hold up so Hatfield now down nothing and two to Schlader.

Popped foul right behind home.

Hatfield played as an eighth grader and then stepped away.

Then came back this year.

As you mentioned, South Dakota State for softball.

And what did she do in her first pitch of this season?

Home run?

There she swings and misses the throw down to second.

Not in time.

So Maddie Ott showing the hustle.

So in one way or another, Ott gets down to second on the stolen base and with a strikeout.

And that is strikeout number six for Schlader.

Going in head first and just grabbing the corner of the bag so she does not over slide.

They kept the tag down on her, but she was holding tight to that corner.

Two outs now on the first pitch to Wyble is fouled over and out of play.

Here's a look at the airport tower that you just saw.

Or the water tower that's across the street.

And it has been blue skies.

Gray skies here all day.

We saw the sun for about 30s in the one a game.

The oh one up and in to even the count at a ball and a strike.

Jaguars scored a run in the first Wolves will run in the third.

We're tied at one.

Great game here so far.

A run and two hits apiece for each team.

That one's chopped to third.

Leinen gloves to Appeldorn for the out.

[APPLAUSE] And Centennial leaves a runner to go to the bottom of the fourth here for the wolves.

Getting that ball down here and then drive through that.

[LAUGHTER] You've got to keep looking that way and drive it.

Let's go.

Come on.

[LAUGHTER] 123.

Coach Eby there.

And fifth year as the head coach at northwest, she was also the coach at Waukee before the split.

So actually tonight Laura, we have two of the youngest high schools in the state of Iowa with Centennial and Northwest, the only one that's younger in this conversation would be Iowa City Liberty, and Brett Delaney is here.

He's part of one of those programs.

But now you're like a veteran there, aren't you, coach?

All right, let's walk through this game.

We're enjoying it.

Are you enjoying this one?

Hey, what an atmosphere.

This is great fan base on both sides.

The Centennial Group's been really loud, so it's pretty special night.

All right.

Sandholm in the circle.

What have you seen?

Hey, you know she's coming out.

She's making the pitches that we need her to make right now.

And she's a big time player in this big time game.

So she's pretty special out there.

I'm going to speak for Laura one more time and say, we're really impressed with how your your players have been able to lay off that rice ball.

Was that something you talked about?

Yeah.

You know, they've had a good approach.

They had a good mindset coming in.

We've talked a little bit about it and they knew what they were going to see.

So yeah, they're being pretty disciplined up there.

We're very fortunate for the talent that we've got right now.

Thank you coach.

Thank you.

Brett Delaney he's been busy this week.

He was trying to throw batting practice and soft toss, watching his kids at the Polk County Fair.

He had the sheep show on in his back pocket.

He says you could hear buying in the background.

And so his kids, his youngest one best of her class in her chicken show, Blue Ribbons and the Sheep Show Blue Ribbon and another chicken show.

So there he was trying to do batting practice.

He'd like to thank his wife, Ashley for helping out, as the first pitch is up the middle.

Hit by Hazel Leinen and she lines one into center to start the wolf.

The Wolves fourth.

Coach Delaney also does a little double duty, having to run in between practice and up to North Polk to watch his middle daughter play softball and volleyball.

He's an eighth grade nine or an eighth and ninth grade PE instructor in the Ankeny School district, and his.

Team has won a state title in 2023.

Trying to do it here in 2026, and Maya Twigg steps in with a runner at first being Hazel Leinen.

And I think the dust is starting to kick up here.

And there's a little bit those clouds did have a little miss to them.

And that is what we're starting to see.

That one's popped up.

It is going to.

Holy cow.

That's whoa.

Foul by.

I think everybody in the crowd was going jump on that before it spins back in.

They let it sit there and spin quite a while and that's one.

As soon as that goes foul you swipe it away with your glove.

I mean that's a finger width right there.

That that was foul by the oh two to Twigg up and in and a swing and a miss.

[APPLAUSE] Inches away from having a runner on second base.

Instead one out.

And that runner is still standing at first.

Third strikeout for Sandholm.

First pitch to Leela.

Appeldorn is up and in ball one.

[APPLAUSE] One one here in the fourth.

That's a ball.

[APPLAUSE] Again, they're making Sandholm work.

She's just missing her spots.

That one is over to Kennedy fumbles for just a moment, throws a rifle across to get the out.

A missile.

Sorry.

She rifled it across.

Let me use the proper conjugation there.

So Kennedy another great defensive play, which hasn't always been the story of her career.

Early on, she played out in the outfield and then moved to the infield, and she has been a solid defender for them at that hot corner.

Just a quick hands, a quick reactions smothered that one and knew she had time because it got to her so quickly.

Time to make that throw.

And now Kennedy is chasing it again, but she is going to be waved off by Cami Starr, who makes the grab and foul territory for the third out.

Another web gem.

And what do you expect in a game like this?

Where these two teams are evenly matched and so far so good in what they're doing?

Kori Eby is the head coach for Waukee Northwest.

She joins us.

Let's talk your offense here for a little bit.

You're pushing, you're pushing, you're pushing.

What are you seeing here in your at bats.

We're trying to keep the looking down.

She's throwing up a little bit.

So we're trying to control ourselves just a little bit.

What about Sophia there in the circle.

What are you seeing.

She's confident.

We're just trying to mix up pitches to keep them off balance.

What do you think of this atmosphere?

Just an average night.

Yeah.

No, the atmosphere is crazy.

It's fun.

All right.

Glad to have you part of it.

Thanks, coach.

Sounds good.

Thanks, Gary.

Eby.

Spirit shines bright.

Always.

Never a dull conversation with her, is there?

You know, she loves to talk softball.

Oh, yeah.

And any time during the regular season, we get to see her do a game.

Whatever it might be.

You could sit and talk softball with her for hours.

And her assistant, Andy, has been with her.

Yeah, they have together.

They got their 500th win.

He's been with her forever since she started coaching.

Andy Briggs is right by her side.

And I have to also mention that he was on my bowling team this winter.

And Andy Briggs is a pretty good bowler.

No surprise.

No surprise.

We we had to kick him out of our strikes game because he got too many strikes.

So Andy.

Andy is a great guy and it was fun to be able to talk to him, get a little inside information over the winter about how this team was going to be.

So far, they are in the championship game and they are locked up at one.

As we move on to the fifth here, Lauren Sandholm, Emmy Ott and Cami Starr scheduled to appear at the plate again.

Schlader working good.

The bunt is right at her, right at Sophia Schlader Sandholm bunt for out number one.

Good idea.

Tried a little surprise attack by laying one down, but couldn't get on top of it to get it down on the ground.

Popped it right back to Schlader.

Is that drizzle gets just a little bit thicker.

I know we talked about it on the broadcast last night with Brad and Aly.

We'll see what that does.

The and that's a strike to any Ott this first matchup between these two teams was on June the 4th, and that was supposed to be a doubleheader at Centennial.

Schlader zero one is swung on and missed.

There was a big thunderstorm headed and forecast for the north side of Ankeny.

The game was moved up a couple of hours to try to at least get one game in.

They were able to get one game in before the rains and they called off the game and moved the second game of the doubleheader over to northwest.

When they played later on in the season on the 25th.

Of June.

In that first game, Schlader pitched.

You talked about that a little bit, Laura, but the one two is high.

The Jaguars are making it interesting there at the end, and it was that game plays you know eight innings.

That might have been a different story.

But they only play seven.

So those are the rules.

She's got to live by.

You got to do your work early.

Yeah.

Can't wait for an eighth inning.

That may never come.

So you got to get the job done early.

Take advantage of you.

Do get runners on.

They're going to be few and far between with both of these pitchers.

So when you do get a runner on, you got to take advantage of it.

Emmy Ott battling here at two balls and two strikes or two home runs the other day were big.

She's competitive with her sister Maddie.

Two.

Two.

Good pitch from Schlader.

Wow.

Strikeout number seven.

And again, this has been the out pitch for him.

Right across the knees.

They have consistently gone to that when they've gotten that two strike count.

Kept the ball down.

And they're working it middle to the outside part of the plate.

Pitch is up and in to Cami Starr.

You know they're say it hit her.

Hit by pitch.

[LAUGHTER] She takes first base.

I thought it was up and in.

I didn't think it was that close.

But I'm a little further.

Right away.

Though.

She showed the umpire right there.

Just grazed her on that back arm.

Time.

Let's see if.

18 for nine.

We're going to have a pinch runner.

And it is going to be Lydia Lacey.

So Lacey comes in.

We talked about the veterans assistant coaching staff for.

Centennial 18 for nine.

Waukee.

It is more of a young and up and comers, current players, assistant coaches, Ashley Allen, who plays at Simpson Tory Bennett.

We remember her.

She played at Iowa and here in town.

Sami Miller all of them.

In fact, earlier in the season there were some of them still playing softball in the postseason.

They couldn't coach.

[LAUGHTER] They were trying to make the drive from Indianola to to Ankeny.

You like to have young players that want to maybe pursue a coaching career, and they're enthusiastic and they are up to date and kind of know all the new nuances of the game and can bring them to the high school level.

So he's got a really good young staff at Ankeny Centennial.

Yeah.

I'm just Ankeny grew up with this Ankeny.

And I always just say Centennial because Ankeny and Centennial, and that's just easier for me.

But the oh two chopped good at bat here by Lincicum Kori Lincicum a walk and a strikeout that's here in the fifth runner on.

Two balls, two strikes.

Lacey.

She hit two home runs in that second game against northwest.

That ball is thrown into center field.

And let's just see.

Yeah.

I don't think hopping up quick enough was Lacey.

She kind of stuck to that turf because we talked about how the mist is picking up here and all of a sudden, what?

Slide and.

They're asking for a new ball saying it is wet.

So they're exchanging out balls.

And you have to wonder.

You're right.

Did that ball sail because of the moisture in the air and maybe some moisture on Sanger's hand?

But I don't think Lacey could locate the ball after she slid head first.

And I don't think she could locate it.

[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] Lincicum has done a good job of battling.

She did that in the first inning, able to get the walk to start the ball game and come around to score again here at the plate, spoiling pitches.

[APPLAUSE] Two balls, two strikes the pitch from Schlader hit in the air towards center.

It might drop into the glove of Davis.

It had potential to land, but it held up long enough for the hit ball by Lincicum to be caught.

[APPLAUSE] You got.

[APPLAUSE] It.

[APPLAUSE] Great job out in center field by Davis.

[APPLAUSE] She goes down after it and holds on to it.

Well, it's a stand up here in this fast moving game as we already are in the middle of the fifth.

And Tim Fitzpatrick to take us from here.

Shoffner for coming all the way from Polk City to play our 1947 Wurlitzer.

Stand up, take a bow, Chuck.

[APPLAUSE] All right, folks, let me hear you.

♪♪ Take me out to the ball game.

Take me out to the crowd.

Buy.

Are you singing peanuts and cracker Jack?

I don't care if I ever get back for its root, root, root for the.

If they don't win, it's a shame, for it's three strikes.

You're out at the old ball game.

[APPLAUSE] Maggie Allen, Shay Davis and Sophia Schlader.

Here in this great atmosphere, everybody might as well just stay on their feet, because I think we're going to be there for the remainder of this contest.

This feels much more like a good old basketball game where we're in the gym.

It's loud out here tonight.

Loud.

It is loud and the stands are packed.

We go to the bottom of the fifth here from Fort Dodge.

Class five, a state championship.

The last game of the season.

And it's everything we thought it would be.

Northwest.

Waukee Northwest with at the bat.

They're tied.

They scored their run in the third.

Centennial had theirs in the first.

Lauren Sandholm has been great in the circle, as has Sophia Schlader, both giving up a run.

Now things started for them.

Allen able to work the walk to start that third inning.

They moved her around, able to get the base hit to bring her in and tie it up.

[APPLAUSE] So if you're Centennial, you don't want to have that same situation happen.

You've got to come after this first hitter to get that first out.

The two one, it swung through and missed by Maggie Allen, who walked back in the third.

Trying to get on base any way possible.

It led to good things for the wolves last time, but she'll go back to the dugout as the fourth strikeout by Sandholm is recorded.

Dug deep rise ball Allen could not lay off of that one.

Sandholm doing a good job of working her way back in that count.

Ball Shay Davis looks at the first pitch.

Go out of the zone.

We're standing around here on the outside and trying to find extra spaces.

Now you got people trying to duck in out of the the mist.

That one's fouled into the night sky.

Off to the right there you see those heavy, heavy lights.

They look foggy because, well, that's what it is.

It's moisture in the air.

[APPLAUSE] And you know anything to the outfield when the outfielder picks it up there's going to be moisture on the ball.

Might be hard for them to pick it up.

Well hit to right but not much of a problem for Kori Lincicum in right.

Great play there for out two.

That's some of the first good solid contact that they've had against Sandholm.

So maybe going back to your original question a couple of times through the lineup, you maybe start thinking about warming up one of your other pitchers on your staff.

Give them a different look for the last few innings.

Could be Spiegel.

She was the originally listed pitcher pitched the other night.

Actually, it was late afternoon.

Ball.

Sandholm has verbally committed.

Not able to sign yet for Mississippi State, and she is putting on a fantastic pitching performance, going darn near pitch for pitch with Sophia Schlader, who she's facing right now.

Sandholm sister Audrey going to Missouri State verbal there as well.

Might see her a little bit later in the game when it comes to running or maybe in the field.

That pitch to Schlader is high.

Schlader zero for two tonight at the plate.

Her bat has been big for them.

She bats here in the fifth, ahead in the count.

Two balls and a strike.

Two away swing and she checked.

Oh.

Boy.

Swung.

It's a it's a dead ball swing.

They're going to say she's.

It was a dead ball swing.

Sandholm trying to say that she was hit while she was swinging.

Jake Parker calls that one out right away with the microphone on.

The umpire's able to get a good listen to that.

I learned just as much from that setup than I do anything here.

Yeah, these umpires have been good all season or all tournament long.

That's just out.

Thought they had her right there on that outside pitch.

That arm is still tingling a little bit where she got hit.

Three balls, two strikes.

Sandholm the popped up foul territory.

Kennedy calls.

Off.

Ott to make the grab.

And another big defensive play.

For Jordyn.

Kennedy to retire the wolves in their half of the fifth and Jordyn Kennedy was a part of a Jaguar team that was really, really good as kids, as Kennedy makes her way to get her helmet, she is scheduled to bat here.

Second, trying to get onto this highlight reel.

That's what she did early on as she had the game's first hit.

Drove in Kori Lincicum, who raced on home.

And then in the third for northwest, it was a good slap.

There was a walk, a sacrifice, and then a hit and an RBI by Elena Schulte to drive in Allen.

And that's how we are tied at one.

Otherwise, the highlights have been all about pitching and it's been all Sophia Schlader and Lauren Sandholm being great.

Now, back in 2020, this group of young women who played for Ankeny for one of their travel teams, this was at the Top Gun Patriot at the Louisville Slugger Complex in Peoria, the Fourth of July weekend back in 2020.

Huge tournament.

The finals was a team from Ankeny.

This one and the opposing pitcher, a girl playing two years ahead with Sophia Schlader.

They beat her in that game.

This is that same group you see Jordyn Kennedy standing right there in the middle with the Sandholm and the OTS in that photo, and.

There's Jordyn Kennedy.

Now, I've enjoyed looking at these pictures this season.

Faber was in that picture.

Ott.

Hatfield.

Wyble.

Lincicum.

Just fine.

In 2020 win Centennial took third at the tournament.

Jordyn is on deck.

First up for the Jaguars as Ava Faber.

So we go to work here in the sixth.

For.

Shout out to my friend Andy Pollock for the photos and the information.

His daughter was on that team and he knew he was looking.

I was like, you got any Schlader pitching videos against them and just couldn't quite dial one up.

So.

He's he's a good resource to have to get some extra information.

Wow.

My thanks to so many of the parents and friends and grandparents that have helped us with information and coaches that have filled out surveys.

Jason Esslinger with the Girls Union has helped us with information to keep everybody informed and trying to tell the stories of so many of these young women that are here as we go do another softball exchange, as, again, that mist keeps falling here and just making things just a little bit slick.

I mean, we also are dealing with the night time.

Do.

And now we're seeing Coach Eby come out of the dugout.

She is looking to get a towel to take out for Coach Slater now or to her pitcher Schlader coach makes the delivery and I don't this.

Is this does not count as a mound visit.

Jake Parker was making sure of that.

He was standing there side by side just so couldn't get any extra coaching going on and taking advantage of getting that towel out there.

The two zero is up and in and it is fouled off, basically off the handle by Faber.

[APPLAUSE] The Centennial Jaguars offense has set a. Team record for all classes for home runs in a season, and they did that a long time ago.

The record was 61.

[APPLAUSE] Held by Pleasant Valley in 24, and they have shattered that.

[APPLAUSE] 61 was a big number and they are up around 80.

Maybe it's 90.

Hold on, I gotta write down Faber.

Walk.

It's now sits at 92.

And this will be a circle visit.

I want to listen to this one if at all possible.

[APPLAUSE] It takes a couple deep breaths.

Okay.

That's all we got to do.

We just got to settle this down here, okay?

Just attack the ball.

Keep working forward.

They're going to be swinging at it.

Okay, so we just get that lead out if we can.

Okay.

We'll go at him.

Okay.

Hey, hey.

Let's go.

You got this?

Yep.

Hey, you got a whole defense behind you.

We're gonna take care of it right now.

Got the defense behind you.

Go after these hitters.

Pretty tough hitter that you have to face, though.

They're going to get a pinch runner.

Over the.

First two seven for 22.

So Kennedy is out and it's going to be Audrey Sandholm.

I kind of figured we'd see Audrey kind of look like her coming out.

I just wanted to make sure.

Centennial changed seven for 22, Centennial seven for 22.

Got some noise.

We're standing up here.

I think that was a good time-out circle visit by Coach Eby because it is starting to get a little crazy here.

And the intensity level is going up and up.

So Audrey runs for Faber Audrey Sandholm.

[APPLAUSE] Yes, for.

Jordyn Kennedy at the bat.

Defense playing at normal depth.

Looking to maybe get a ground ball and try to turn a double play.

Schlader one out of Kennedy up and in.

Gets away from the catcher rounding second is Sandholm and now Kennedy has a chance to drive in the.

Go ahead run here in the sixth.

On the wild pitch.

That rise ball Laura.

Just squirted out the pitch in.

I think Schlader maybe a little frustration with the weather, the wetness, moisture in the air.

I think she's having a little trouble finding the right grip.

The three zero backs up on a strike.

Kennedy taking the whole way.

Schlader outstanding as a freshman has just improved on it, which is hard to do as a sophomore.

She pitches.

It's Kennedy who hits it right at second, not quite on the seams, but darn close as Schulte makes the grab for the first out.

Schulte didn't have to move too much.

That one was right at her, and Sandholm doing a good job of not venturing too far off.

The Golden rule is.

We're gonna chase it here.

Yeah, make the line drive go through.

She did.

And now you get the intentional pass to Ott.

1223 for 12.

And now we're going to make another change here.

So Hatfield is going to get pinch hit for by Lauren Bartine.

Oh.

Man.

Back and forth here.

[APPLAUSE] We are locked in a good one.

Meink northwest had that mapped out the way that it was all unfolding with the runner on first, and they knew if they were going to get Kennedy out, they were going to give the intentional pass right away.

So now Schlader has to really lock in and dig down, go after this pinch hitter in Bartine.

She swings at the first pitch.

She's not seen this rise ball from Sophia Schlader like her teammates have here in this pinch hit opportunity.

Two on, one out.

The pitch swing and a miss.

She is digging down.

Bartine has been in and out of the lineup, battled a little bit of an injury this season.

She has been the DH for a good part of the year.

The oh two fouled back into the screen.

We'll do it again.

[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] That one's hit to first gloving it.

Stepping on the bag is Appeldorn moves the runners up, stays out of the double play.

[APPLAUSE] Appeldorn came up looking for a base to throw to see if she could pick one of the runners off, but now couple in scoring position and these are the situations you have to take advantage of because they don't come very often against this northwest team.

Wyble pops it up right at the grass and dirt, and the Jaguars will leave a pair.

They cannot push the runs across.

In the sixth and we stay tied at one.

[APPLAUSE] Schulte the grab.

[APPLAUSE] ♪♪ It.

I know, but hey, I would rather do that.

[LAUGHTER] And those other kids haven't done a thing on me.

[LAUGHTER] You know what I mean?

[LAUGHTER] So you're good, you're good.

But next time we'll.

Go at it, okay?

Yep.

Yeah.

[APPLAUSE] You were good.

[APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER] And that open base.

[LAUGHTER] I didn't do anything.

You know what I mean?

So you're good.

You're good.

So there's a little bit of the huddle was kind of they were talking to themselves and then they were talking to Schlader.

Well, follow that coming up on November 5th will be our championships for volleyball.

Then football in November, right before Thanksgiving.

Girls wrestling, boys wrestling, girls basketball and boys basketball coming up here on Iowa PBS as our sports coverage rolls on.

And yes, there's the headset and reminder to support Iowa PBS to make all of this happen.

807 282828 or scan that QR code to allow us to connect with you and you support us as we travel around the state telling stories.

Hit that QR code and your continued support of Iowa PBS.

We thank you for that.

So Aaron Gerlich is joining us now.

And are you worn out, Aaron, from all those home run ball deliveries that you've done?

♪♪ We have you, I think.

Can we hear.

Can you hear me now.

Yeah.

There we go.

Yeah.

All right.

You know we have a great team of people that really like to come in and assist with the home ball run or home run ball.

So it's a it's a team effort.

And that's what keeps us going.

And I just had a bunch of coffee.

So I'm ready for more.

Aaron Gerlich, the executive director of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, one zero pitch coming to Elena Schulte.

How about this five a title game?

Yeah.

I mean, could you ask for a better game?

This is fun.

This is really fun.

Kind of what we thought we'd get.

100%, 100%.

Great crowd here.

Dynamite.

Yeah.

Dynamite players.

Great crowd.

Yeah.

This is exactly how we want to end our evening.

And that two zero is a strike to Schulte.

So first year of the new format.

Yes, I know, I guess we have to be really careful not to call it double elimination, because everybody's pointed out it's not true.

Double elimination.

So the new format.

It's the first.

Year and we're learning.

Right.

So what have we learned from this new format?

We've learned that it's it's really exciting.

The feedback that we've heard from the coaches and the players, which is really a lot of the feedback that we care about is, is that they feel so pumped, they feel so energized.

The energy is just different and they love it.

So we're excited about that.

You had a couple of teams that took advantage of that one loss and turned it into a championship game performance.

You had a couple of teams that they didn't need that other game.

So you have samples to pull from from both sides, right?

In this discussion, when you move forward.

Absolutely, yeah.

We every we've got the, the spectrum covered, which is great.

And your advisory committee is going to be big, I would imagine, in this.

And you have advisory committees for all your sports.

We do we have advisory committees for all of our sports.

And so that's something that, you know, after we get some feedback and after we usually send out some surveys, then we get some good feedback on that.

We all meet as a group and kind of discuss some potential changes, the things that we liked, things we didn't like, all the good stuff.

[APPLAUSE] .

Schulte what's hit to left field here in the sixth?

And this heavyweight matchup, the two big schools, you've kind of moved the classes around.

You're getting a chance to put this one tonight in prime time.

The fans are pumped.

To me this just you mentioned it already feels like a great ending to the season.

What has been the most memorable moment from the week other than the heat?

What heat?

[LAUGHTER] I don't even remember what you're talking about.

No, I think really for really for us, it's just just being able to bring bring this format to life, to watch this become a living, breathing thing.

Sanger hits it high into the night sky and tagging up is Schulte down to second for out number one.

And we take a look at this play.

Laura.

This is an easy A in the in the night and B with the moisture.

Yeah that's a tough one.

And trying to pull that one in and knowing that you have speed over there at first base.

Schulte knew exactly what she needed to do.

Tagged up, waited for that to come down.

When she saw her go down to the ground, she took off for second.

So that'll make it Hazel Leinen she had a hit back in the fourth trying to battle here in the sixth to push that go ahead run hits it high into the air, deep to center.

Oh man, you.

Guys up.

And over home.

Run for the wolves.

A two.

Run shot.

Hazel Leinen.

Back to back.

I mean I hate to cut you short, guys, but I think I got to go.

I got to deliver a home run ball.

You've got to go take care of business.

On cue.

And that's a big one.

[LAUGHTER] Thank you very much.

That's Erin Gerlach.

You'll see her in a minute.

Thanks, Erin.

Thank you guys.

Hazel Leinen with a monstrous memories.

Memorable, you name it.

Anything you want to got a hold of that pitch and it flew a long way.

Laura.

It sure did.

She connected right out in front and drove it.

And you saw Ott go all the way to the fence, put her back up against the fence, and wanting to try to leap up and grab that.

But that one was out of here.

Oh.

Wow.

Yep.

You got it right on cue.

So now Lauren Sandholm will go into the dugout and we'll see a pitching change.

And this game is all of a sudden different.

Here's a look again there.

You said.

I tried.

[APPLAUSE] And Leinen she has had the hot bat tonight.

Two hits.

She has two of her team's five hits.

And it's going to be Peyten.

Spiegel coming in.

And there's a look at.

Coach Eby.

She's been pretty low exhibiting the emotion tonight, keeping things in check.

But when the big moments have happened, her team has responded.

Look at the smiles there.

Three enter two.

For the Wolves and Spiegel comes in now with one out in the sixth.

Well, they say that Leinen is their quiet leader.

She is quiet no more.

That was a very, very loud home run.

[LAUGHTER] Off the bat, I couldn't exactly tell if it was going to go over that center field, but you knew it had a chance.

The moment it left.

It was just a matter of how deep.

There wasn't much doubt, just a matter of the doubt was how far.

[APPLAUSE] So now it's Maya Twigg, who also has one of the five hits.

So the middle of the order.

Schulte and Leinen having the 4 or 5 hits for this team two, three, two and four of Twigg with the fifth.

Spiegel pitches a ball.

Peyten Spiegel is a sophomore.

Her E.R.A.

Coming into the tournament 0.84.

Coach calls her someone who's got ice in her veins.

A special kid.

There's our special presentation with the Leinen family and Spiegel pitch.

Is a strike.

They might want that one for the school trophy case.

That might.

Yeah.

Sit right next.

This continues.

Sitting next to that championship trophy.

If they can hang on.

Two balls, two strikes.

And you just never know with either one of these teams.

They have got power one through nine and everybody contributes each and every game.

And it may not be that same person every game.

And this one Leinen steps up with the big blast.

Foul down the right side.

And that was a rocket.

I had Leinen for only one hit in the tournament, and it was.

A double.

Let me know.

So her she doubled her hit total and added one.

[APPLAUSE] You know what?

It doesn't really matter how many hits you get, it's when you get them and which game.

And she got it at the perfect time for the Wolves.

That one's fouled away into the screen due up for the Jaguars in their half of the seventh Lauren Sandholm spot in the lineup.

Emmy Ott Cami Starr.

But Spiegel would.

If she's entering the game, would factor into this.

So.

Swing and a miss gets away from Ott, who throws down to first for the second out.

Good Off-speed pitch made her go after it, offered after it.

A little advice for Appeldorn as she comes to the plate.

[APPLAUSE] That's foul down the third base line by Leah Leela.

Appeldorn.

Pitch.

Appeldorn playing first tonight, made a couple of big plays where she's had to stretch as far as she can to give her defenders as much of an opportunity to get that out.

They've needed it on a couple of speedy moves down the line.

She's just grown throughout the season and worked hard in the off season to get more playing time, and it has certainly paid off that off season work.

[APPLAUSE] One ball, one strike, two outs here in the sixth.

And that misses.

[APPLAUSE] One one for much of this game.

That changed a couple of batters ago.

Here.

Appeldorn past a diving Kennedy into left field for a base hit.

It's going to be extras.

Appeldorn a huge turn, then decides to go and it doesn't matter.

She's there with a double with two outs here in the sixth.

That just hugged the line.

And Kennedy makes a great effort as it goes right over that third base bag.

You just couldn't get any closer than that.

It was one inch from being foul.

That stayed down that chalk line.

Now another runner on looking to get that insurance run.

[APPLAUSE] 23 for double, 023 for double zero.

Get you back in the dugout.

Coach Claire Martins will run for Appeldorn.

Waukee Northwest 23 for 0023 for double zero.

So we'll radio the change up above.

Thank you.

Martins is the pinch runner.

[APPLAUSE] They get a new Softball for Spiegel.

♪♪ Meredith Thomsen now with an opportunity to give her team another run.

[APPLAUSE] The rise ball gets away from Ott.

And now Martins goes down to third.

Martins scored a run in game one against Pleasant Valley and a game a run against DCG.

Game one.

Stands at third with two outs.

Bunt is down there looking squeeze or at least safety squeeze.

As Thompson has her bunt go foul.

Yeah I saw Andy Briggs walked down the line and he caught her attention.

Gave her a little signal like come down the first base line.

And that's exactly what they were trying to do.

Drag it down the first base line.

Even though there's two outs.

The one one is swung on and fouled back into the screen.

You know, just little, little things.

That's a that's a moment that was there.

And if it worked, it would have been great.

Why not take the chance?

You've got the lead.

If it works, you get the insurance run.

If not, you got to come out and hold them.

The one two to Thompson hit into the air to left, but in the park and playable for Hatfield.

And just like that, Laura Leonard we go to the top of the seventh and the wolves are three outs away from going back to back.

All right.

And this is the perfect opportunity for people to be kind and gentle when they're on social media.

And you can always interact with us here on our Facebook page, as well as use hashtag Iowa PBS sports, follow along with what you may or may not see on the field or behind the scenes at our high school, high school sports coverage tonight, and they're checking their phones to see.

So if we win this, I'm going to take a picture over here.

I want to hold the trophy.

Then.

Get everything planned out.

And they're watching the replay of our game.

They're seeing how far that home run ball went.

And the mascot's just been busy cheering all night.

All right for the wolves.

They have to get three outs.

Schlader goes back to the circle.

Lauren Sandholm will come in to hit Emmy Ott and Cami Starr do up.

And already it looks like we might have a pinch hitter for Ott.

When that spot comes up.

[APPLAUSE] First pitch is hit to short, gloved and thrown across is Allen to Appeldorn one away.

She took her time on that one, made sure she looked at all the way into her glove and got the feet planted to make the throw.

And you're right, we're going to get a pinch hitter.

15 for one.

You got it.

So it's going to be Grace Anderson.

She'll come.

In 15 for one.

And Anderson also one of those that does get a lot of time in the lineup.

Just not tonight.

She's one of those rising sophomores that Coach Delaney.

She had a pinch hit single in the comeback against Southeast Polk earlier.

Lacey Anderson.

She bats from the left side with one out here in the seventh.

9:30 p.m.

On this Friday night, July the 24th, 2026.

Laura.

It is full on prime time softball here.

Gracie Anderson swings and misses one on one.

[APPLAUSE] They've got the defense adjusted, pitching over more to the left side.

That middle is wide open.

If she can punch it right back up the middle to get a base runner.

Trying to get to Lincicum, who is the leadoff batter as of now, though, they're going to have to find a way to get Anderson on here, she offers for strike two.

[APPLAUSE] Here's a look at your defense.

[LAUGHTER] Ball two strikes.

As the outfield comes in, that's a swing and a Miss Anderson's out.

Strikeout number eight.

[APPLAUSE] And the Jaguars look to Cami Starr to keep this thing going.

Jaguars set a school record for wins at 41.

They're going to need help getting to 42.

First pitch ball.

That's what Starr needs to do.

Be patient in this at bat.

Stay off that rise.

Ball.

See if she can flip the lineup over to get to Lincicum.

Fouled back into the screen.

[APPLAUSE] Schlader is really bringing it with some heat behind it right now.

The pitch strike two.

And the Jaguars down to their last strike.

Dugouts getting ready to explode.

Rise ball!

Close!

Oh!

So close.

Starr lays off.

[APPLAUSE] Two balls, two strikes, two outs.

The pitch swing and a miss.

And northwest Waukee.

The wolves are state champs again in 2026.

[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] Back to back.

[APPLAUSE] This bus ride.

They were able to do it.

They were in a battle and some timely hitting.

Able to get them.

Those two runs that they needed to get over the hump and close this one out and claim the state title.

The Wolves celebrate again from Waukee Northwest.

[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] Mady Ott, the senior, leads the charge for the Jaguars and Sophia Schlader led the line for the Wolves.

Again.

These two teams have played great games all season.

This game did not disappoint.

Laura no, it did not.

It's what we've been looking for.

Talked about all season long, figuring that these two might be in this title game [LAUGHTER] and got the game that we thought we were going to get.

And it was a low scoring game and it was tense.

There were opportunities on both sides, and northwest was able to take advantage of the opportunity.

They had late.

And another pink shirt is headed to a team from [APPLAUSE] Waukee Northwest.

Dominant in so many things.

They do it again here in Softball.

But now let's meet the All-Tournament team.

Five A All-Tournament Team medals is executive director of the IGHSAU Erin Gerlach and Softball Administrator Jason Esslinger.

Here is your 2026 class [APPLAUSE] five, A All-Tournament team from Ankeny Centennial.

[APPLAUSE] Kori Lincicum.

[APPLAUSE] From Waukee Northwest Meredith Thomsen.

[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] From Valley.

[APPLAUSE] Ayla Harvey.

[APPLAUSE] And.

Chris LaCivita.

From Valley.

Kori.

[APPLAUSE] Rose.

[APPLAUSE] From southeast Polk.

Hallie [APPLAUSE] Clark.

[APPLAUSE] From Dallas.

[APPLAUSE] Center-grimes.

[APPLAUSE] Tessa Jones.

[APPLAUSE] From Ankeny Centennial.

[APPLAUSE] Peyten.

[APPLAUSE] Spiegel.

[APPLAUSE] ♪♪ From Waukee Northwest.

Alena Schulte.

[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] From Ankeny Centennial.

Mylie.

[APPLAUSE] Hatfield.

[APPLAUSE] From Ankeny Centennial.

[APPLAUSE] Mady.

[APPLAUSE] Ott.

[APPLAUSE] And your.

2026 class five.

A all tournament team captain from Waukee Northwest.

Sophia Schlader.

[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] She's a phenomenal high school [APPLAUSE] athlete.

Qualified in the state track meet, shot and disc.

We talked about her weightlifting.

We talk about her carrying this team through the circle tonight.

But it was her friends and teammates that got him that championship.

It was a complete team effort.

I think everybody got the pitching.

You got the timely hitting, and that was timely hitting.

What we saw in the bottom of the sixth inning, to be able to push those two runs across, and everybody did their part.

Defensively.

They did a great job.

They had a couple of opportunities or a couple of chances in a couple of innings where Centennial did threaten.

But the defense was able to slow them down and the pitching was able to slow them down.

They were able to get out of those jams.

Every participating player will receive a commemorative softball provided by Iowa Farm Bureau title sponsor of the Girls Athletic Union, presenting awards are members of the IGHSAU Board of Directors.

[APPLAUSE] Congratulations to the runners up in class five, a.

♪♪ Ankeny Centennial Jaguars and Head Coach Brett Delaney.

Congratulations on an outstanding 2026 [APPLAUSE] softball season.

[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] And your 2026 class five, State Softball champions, the Wolves from Waukee Northwest head coach Kerry Eby.

[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] ♪♪ And I would like to Twigg Starr Starr of the game.

It is from Waukee Northwest third baseman Hazel Leinen.

Her [APPLAUSE] outstanding performance.

[APPLAUSE] And she finishes a. Third title in five years for that new upstart team, the Northwest Wolves.

They do it again.

I'd love to see every one of those players continue to play high school ball.

They were great tonight here.

Laura from both [LAUGHTER] sides just this is a classic great game tonight.

This was and this was intense.

And it was close.

It was tied up most of the game.

They got the one big hit to get them.

That two run lead and advance them to their second back to back state championship here tonight.

And what a great day [LAUGHTER] and what a great tournament.

We've had.

Five championships.

Thank you.

Laura Leonard awesome as always to work with you.

Northwest takes home the five eight championship.

The four A to Adam, the three A to Waller, the two A to Grandview Christian and the one A to Clarksville.

Thank you from all of us here at Iowa PBS for another great season of sports, including softball.

We'll see you at volleyball soon.

So long from Fort Dodge.

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