Regina pulls 6 double plays in a doubleheader sweep of West Liberty

IOWA CITY — There were groundouts. Lineouts. Strikeouts. And throw-outs, of course.

For Iowa City Regina, there was a season’s worth of double plays in a single night.

The Class 2A fifth-ranked Regals pulled off three twin-killings in each game and swept 3A No. 12 West Liberty, 2-1 and 5-3, in a River Valley Conference South Division softball doubleheader Monday night at Regina High School.

“The first few games, we struggled defensively,” said sophomore third baseman Harper Erwin, who had a hand in the Regals’ first four DPs. “But we haven’t made many errors at all in June. Our pitchers are making it easy for us.”

At that point, pitcher Lily Nibaur interrupted:

“No, YOU are making it was easier for ME, too,” Nibaur interjected.

The sweep moved Regina (18-10 overall, 14-2 division) within striking distance of the River Valley South title. They can clinch at least a tie for the crown with a win Thursday at home against Tipton.

A freshman, Nibaur (8-5) had her fingerprints all over Monday’s outcome. In Game 1, she overcame a shaky first inning — a single and three walks — to pitch a one-hitter.

In the nightcap, she entered the game in relief in the sixth inning, with the Regals down 3-2. She retired seven of the eight batters she faced.

Oh, and with the game tied, she merely doubled home two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

“Our defense was up and ready all night,” Nibaur said. “It was uplifting.”

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Erwin was an active participant in the defensive festivities in Game 1. She started an unconventional 5-4-7 double play on a sacrifice-bunt attempt in the second inning (with left fielder Morgan Gahan covering third base to take the return throw across the dimaond).

Then she took a line-out/throw-out double play at third from shortstop Gabby Sueppel in the fifth inning and triggered an around-the-horn 5-4-3 deal in seventh.

“Harper is making great decision for us,” Regina Coach Angela Kessler said. “She has come a long ways.

“And our middle infield (Sueppel at short, Alli Clark at second), I think is the best in 2A and maybe the entire state.”

On the flip side, Regina scored both of its Game 1 runs on West Liberty errors, one in the second inning, one in the fourth.

The Regals erased baserunners in each of the first three innings of the nightcap with double plays.

In the first, Erwin snagged a one-out liner at third and beat the baserunner back to the bag. In the second, catcher Laci Chambliss initiated a strikeout/throw-out play on a would-be base stealer at second.

The third-inning DP (4-U/4-3) was due to an interference call at second base.

Still, West Liberty (15-8, 8-6) took a 3-1 lead in the fourth on Ady Bell’s three-run home run.

Regina got within 3-2 when Sueppel scored on a wild pitch in the fifth, then went ahead in the sixth.

The Regals are two-time defending 2A state champions, and only a fool would count them out in July.

“We’ve got a lot of potential,” Kessler said. “We’re getting better in every game with pitch selection at the plate.”

And defense, if Monday was any indication, is both solid (two errorless games) and dynamic.

Iowa City Regina 2-5, West Liberty 1-3

At Iowa City Regina

Game 1

West Liberty 100 000 0 — 1 1 2

Iowa City Regina 010 100 x — 2 3 0

Mallory Wulf and Jayleen Kivi. Lily Nibaur and Laci Chambliss. W — Nibaur (7-5). L — Wulf (NA).

Game 2

West Liberty 000 300 0 — 3 4 1

Iowa City Regina 100 013 x — 5 8 0

Kylee Daufeldt and Jayleen Kivi. Reese Litton, Lily Nibaur (5) and Laci Chambliss. W — Nibaur (8-5). L — Daufeldt (NA). HR — WL: Ady Bell (1).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com