6-run 5th sends West past Xavier, 7-1

IOWA CITY -- Two-run single. Two-run double. Two-run homer.

Brianna Sturtz, Alise Miller and Shelly Stumpff delivered three killer blows in succession as fifth-ranked Iowa City West scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and defeated Cedar Rapids Xavier, 7-1, in a Class 4A softball regional semifinal Monday night at West.

"We knew we had to wait back and wait for pitches to drive," said Stumpff, who capped the eruption with a scorching line drive that cleared the left-field fence by about a foot. "Revenge is always sweet."

Xavier denied West, 2-0, in last year's regional final. But Wednesday was West's night, though it took the Women of Troy (32-9) a while to assert themselves.

West didn't have a hit through the first three innings, after which it trailed 1-0. But Lauren Larson's two-out double in the fourth tied the game and took off some of the pressure.

The Women of Troy seek their first state-tournament appearance Wednesday, when they host Des Moines Lincoln (28-12) in a regional final. Lincoln beat Newton, 7-3, in eight innings.

"It's nice to be back in the regional finals, and we want to take that final step," Sturtz said.

Xavier (29-13) let an opportunity for a major inning slide in the top of the first. Kristen Winter's single plated Abby Bedard, but the Saints didn't tack on with a bases-loaded, one-out chance.

"If we'd gotten a couple more (runs), we might have taken a little more wind out of their sails," said Xavier Coach Brian Erbe.

West Coach Jeff Kelley said, "It was very important that we didn't lose our composure in the first inning. We felt we were capable of scoring."

And in the fifth, they did. A bunch.

Danielle Chelf (walk) and Morgan Ryan (bunt single) set the table. Then after Mikaela Morgan bunted them to second and third and Tatum Klein drew a semi-intentional walk, Sturtz, Miller and Stumpff wiped it clean.

Sturtz hit a single to deep left field to make it 3-1. Miller doubled to the left-center gap to extend it to 5-1. Then Stumpff delivered the dagger.

West had all of its seven hits in the fourth and fifth innings. Pitcher Mackenzie Laux scattered five hits, striking out 11.

AT IOWA CITY WEST

C.R. Xavier               100 000 0 -- 1  5  1

Iowa City West      000 160 x -- 7  7  1

Jacey Wiebold (L), Erin Drahozal (5) and Erica Miller, Emily Walton (5). Mackenzie Laux (W) and Michaela Recker. HR -- ICW: Shelly Stumpff.