Underdog Ankeny ends Iowa City West’s season

IOWA CITY - Regional finals are hard. So much is at stake. And losing a regional final leaves even outstanding teams feeling like something is missing.

Iowa City West was on the losing end of a 3-1 Class 5A regional final verdict to Ankeny on Tuesday night.

Fourth-ranked West came in with a 34-5 record, while unranked Ankeny was 20-21. But it was the Women of Troy with the tears and red eyes afterward.

Ankeny rode the strong pitching of junior Allison Doocy, the Class 5A strikeout leader, and put together a three-run third inning in which it took advantage of every chance it had. That was enough as Doocy (18-9) struck out eight and held West to three hits and one unearned run.

'The rise was definitely working,” Doocy said. 'It hasn't lately, but it started working this week.”

'Allison has been a little disrespected,” Ankeny Coach Dave Bingham said. 'I don't think a lot of people know who she is, and frankly I think she's the best pitcher in the state. We gave her a lot of rest the last week, and that was on purpose.”

West broke on top with a run in the first on a walk, sacrifice and infield error. In the third inning it looked like West had loaded the bases with one out, but the umpire called a runner out at second on a fielder's choice although it appeared the ball fell out of the second baseman's glove. A flyout ended the inning. West managed only one baserunner in the next four innings.

'It didn't go our way, but that's part of the game,” West Coach Justin Lutjen said. 'You've got to score more runs to win the game.”

Ankeny scored three in the bottom of the third on an error, two walks and two singles, one a bunt and the other barely to the outfield grass. But that was enough.

'Losing for the seniors really hurts right now,” Lutjen said. 'These are the three greatest kids (Grace Tafolla, Laynie Whitehead, Madi Miller) I've ever had the privilege to coach. Outside of their talents these kids are so wonderful. They are going to be so successful. They're smart; they're caring; they go the extra mile for their teammates. They're great role models and leaders for this team.”