Clear Creek Amana rallies in 11th for wild regional softball win over Marion

OXFORD — A battle between two very evenly-matched softball teams played out about as close it could Tuesday night at Clear Creek Amana.

Both eighth-ranked Clear Creek Amana (29-9) and No. 10 Marion (26-12) incorporated a combination of well-executed small ball, solid pitching and clutch hitting.

In the end, Clear Creek Amana had one more hit up its sleeve that proved to be the difference an epic, 11-inning, 11-10 victory in the Class 4A Region 8 final. The win sends the Clippers to the state tournament in Fort Dodge next week.

The big hit: A two-RBI single by senior Gabrielle Bedford.

“I just fell to the ground crying,” Bedford said. “It felt so good. I just knew my team had my back the whole time.”

Bedford’s hit came with two outs in the bottom of the 11th that plated Bailey Olerich and Emma Mathis to give the Clippers the win.

“It was the best softball game I’ve seen in a long time,” Clear Creek Amana co-Coach Ken Thimmesch said. “Words can’t explain what a wonderful feeling it is.”

Clear Creek Amana came into the bottom of the 11th trailing 10-5 after Marion’s Jazlyn Grosskreutz belted a grand slam in the top of the 11th. Grosskreutz’s blast wouldn’t have happened without a seventh-inning two-run homer by pitcher Megan Steffens. Steffens’ shot put Marion up 5-4.

The Clippers answered back in the bottom of the seventh as Olivia Miller drove an RBI double to right-center to plate Emma Mathis and tie the game at 5-5, sending the game to extras.

And in the 11th, facing a five-run deficit, the Clippers never gave up.

Olivia Miller started the bottom of the 11th with a single. Ellie Crow then singled and Resse Stockman doubled, plating both Miller and Crow to narrow the deficit to 10-7.

From there, Katelyn LeFleur and Ella Miller both walked and scored on an error behind second base on a ball hit up the middle by Mathis to make it 10-9.

CCA faces Adel ADM (25-10) in the Class 4A state quarterfinals Tuesday at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge.