West Delaware tips Solon in 3A 7th-place game

FORT DODGE -- The rubber match went to West Delaware.

Jenna Hermsen pitched a two-hitter, retiring 16 straight through a prolonged stretch, as the Hawks held off Solon, 3-2, in the Class 3A seventh-place game at the state softball tournament Wednesday afternoon.

"We lost our first two games here, and I wanted to come back and get this last one," Hermsen said. "It's nice to finish it off with a win."

The game was a battle of Wamac Conference East Division co-champions. They split in the regular season.

West Delaware (37-9) jumped in front immediately. Jessica McDonald roped a two-run single with two outs in the top of the first inning.

Kara Misel's home run in the second got the Lady Spartans (34-10) within 2-1, but Hermsen didn't allow another baserunner until one out in the seventh inning.

Mikaela Boss drove home Hermsen for a seventh-inning insurance run run that proved to be the difference, because Solon's Casey Musgrave plated pinch-runner Shelby Gunnells to make it 3-2. Musgrave got no further than first base.

West Delaware out-hit Solon 9-2 -- Boss was 3-for-4 -- and stranded nine runners.

BOTH TEAMS coughed up seventh-inning leads in their consolation semifinals.

West Delaware rallied from a 1-0 deficit to score three runs in the top of the seventh, only to give up three unearned runs in the bottom of the inning and fall, 4-3, to Keokuk.

After two outs, the Hawks committed an error, then Keokuk rallied with three hits and a walk. Mollie Martin's two-run single won it.

Allison Pasker had three hits for West Delaware.

Makayla Augustine hit a three-run double in the top of the seventh to send Sioux City Heelan past Solon, 5-4.

Misel hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning for Solon.