Marshalltown ousts Cougars, 8-2

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Amanda Gaffey showed some pop.But other than that, it was strictly pop-ups for the Kennedy Cougars.Taylor Vaske kept Cedar Rapids Kennedy off-balance, scattering five hits, and Marshalltown sidelined the Cougars, 8-2, in a Class 5A regional softball quarterfinal Thursday night at Kennedy High School."They just out-hit us," Kennedy Coach Katie Bova said. "We needed to come out and jump on it right away, and we didn't."Marshalltown (19-21) advances to face No. 3 Muscatine (34-5) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Muscatine. The Muskies had a first-round bye.The Bobcats scored two runs in the second inning and tacked on four in the third to take command.Lauren Mazour, Vaske, Emily Denenney and Taylor Wagner had RBI hits in the third inning, and a couple of Kennedy errors aided the Bobcats.Gaffey got the Cougars (13-27) within 6-2 with a two-run homer -- an opposite-field liner to right in the top of the fourth.It was the seventh homer of her senior season."We needed runs," said Gaffey, who will play at Mount Mercy University next season. "I knew I had to get up there and hit the ball hard."Gaffey finished with 36 RBIs this season. Peyton Baskerville preceded the home run by drawing a leadoff walk.Whatever momentum the Cougars had gained was fleeting. Hailey Beals squeezed home a run in the bottom of the fourth, then Megan Major plated another with a single to extend the margin to 8-2.Kennedy didn't threaten again. The Cougars had five hits, but never more than one in an inning. They popped out eight times throughout the game."(Vaske) threw a lot of curve balls; she was getting us outside," Gaffey said. "We were swinging too early and popping up."Despite the record, which included a 7-19 mark in the Mississippi Valley Conference, Bova said the Cougars "made strides" this season."Other than (Dubuque) Senior and (Iowa) City High, we split with everybody in our division," she said. "The girls learned to play better as a team."Said Gaffey, who had two hits: "There was no drama this year. We meshed and played our hearts out."Mazour was 3-for-4 for the Bobcats.

Taylor Sohn, Madeline Crist (6) and Lauren Kubovec. Taylor Vaske and Taylor Wagner. W -- Vaske (11-10). L -- Sohn (6-15). HR -- CRK: Amanda Gaffey (7).

5A Regional Quarterfinal 

R

H

E

Cedar Rapids Kennedy

0 0 0

2 0 0

--

2

5

6

Marshalltown

0 2 4

2 0 0

x

--

8

12