Friday’s best: 5 area Iowa high school softball regional games to watch (July 12, 2024)

The first major, unexpected casualty of the softball regional tournament has been recorded.

Alburnett, the second-ranked team in Class 2A and the champion of the Tri-Rivers Conference West Division, is out. The Pirates suffered an 8-6 loss to sub-.500 Grundy Center on Wednesday.

The Pirates are done, but the tournament rolls on, and several of the major storylines still surround the Tri-Rivers as the next step — Class 2A and Class 1A regional semifinals — approaches.

Here are five of Friday’s best regional-semifinal matchups involving area teams:

Ogden (15-18) at No. 7 Iowa City Regina (20-12)

Class 2A Region 4

The two-time defending 2A champion, Regina opened its title defense in quick fashion, knocking out Woodward Granger in four innings, 12-0. Reese Litton homered and drove in five runs, and freshman pitcher Lily Nibaur struck out six in a one-hit shutout. Ogden was a 6-3 winner over Madrid. Regina’s Avery Kies is hitting a team-high .490 and will play at Indian Hills Community College next year.

No. 15 Jesup (25-8) at No. 8 Lisbon (25-12)

Class 2A Region 7

Jesup advanced with a dramatic 5-4 win over Maquoketa Valley, winning it with a bases-loaded walk in the seventh inning. Lisbon needed no such dramatics, breaking it open with four runs in the second inning and sidestepping Denver, 7-0. The Lions have maintained their winning ways with a new head coach (Abbey Shultz) and six new starters. Six players are hitting between .330 and .374. Sophomore Hayden Kresser has 60 RBIs for Jesup, which carries an eight-game win streak.

Central City (29-12) at No. 9 North Linn (28-13)

Class 1A Region 7

This series has been all North Linn lately (it’s 28-0 during the Bound era, which began in 2009), and that includes verdicts of 14-3 and 11-4 on May 23. Spoiler alert: It’s going to be much, much closer this time. Avery Wise pitched a three-hit shutout in the Wildcats’ 5-0 quarterfinal conquest against Lansing Kee. The reigning 1A state champion, North Linn got past Starmont, 5-0, but it was scoreless through three innings. UNI recruit Skylar Benesh has 28 extra-base hits, 56 runs and 45 RBIs.

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Photos: Kee vs. Central City in Class 1A regional softball quarterfinals

Don Bosco (19-9) at No. 12 Edgewood-Colesburg (27-10)

Class 1A Region 7

Ed-Co was a regional finalist in both volleyball and basketball, and will try to reach — and ultimately surpass — that level in softball. The Vikings have a full head of steam, with seven straight wins. That includes a 9-1 victory over West Central in the previous round. Multisport star Audrie Helmrichs drove in three runs. Ed-Co handled Don Bosco, 6-0, on June 13. The Dons edged East Buchanan, 8-7, in the regional quarterfinals.

Highland (19-8) vs. No. 6 Sigourney (21-7)

Class 1A Region 8

The back end of a 1A-8 regional-semifinal doubleheader; HLV (17-6) collides with Wapello (19-13) in the opener at 5 p.m. Sigourney pitcher Carly Goodwin fanned 20 in the Savages’ 9-0 regional-quarterfinal win over Iowa Valley on Wednesday, running her season strikeout total to 297 (against just nine walks). Highland has won nine of 10, and the only loss in that run is a 2-1 defeat to Davenport Assumption. The Huskies edged Calamus-Wheatland, 4-2, Wednesday.

Friday’s complete area schedule

CLASS 2A REGIONAL SEMIFINALS

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 4

Ogden (15-18) at No. 7 Iowa City Regina (20-12)

Panorama (9-21)/No. 6 East Marshall (30-4) vs. Carroll Kuemper (17-13)

Region 7

No. 15 Jesup (25-8) at No. 8 Lisbon (25-12)

Osage (22-8) at No. 14 Wapsie Valley (23-8)

Region 8

Cascade (17-10)/Wilton (18-14) at No. 3 Northeast (25-7)

Dyersville Beckman (15-14)/Durant (21-15) at No. 10 Louisa-Muscatine (30-4)

CLASS 1A REGIONAL SEMIFINALS

(7 p.m. unless noted)

Region 7

Central City (29-12) at No. 9 North Linn (27-13)

Don Bosco (19-9) at No. 12 Edgewood-Colesburg (27-10)

Region 8

Highland (19-8) at No. 6 Sigourney (21-7)

Wapello (19-13) vs. HLV (17-6), 5 p.m., at Sigourney

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com