Dramatic comeback has Regina on the doorstep of another state softball tournament

That’s so Regal.

A softball program with a penchant for the dramatic, Iowa City Regina did it again Friday night.

“It was quite a heart attack, is what it was,” Coach Angela Kessler said.

And considering the Regals’ postseason track record, relatively predictable.

Ranked No. 1 and the reigning state champion in Class 2A, Regina (26-8) trailed unrated Cardinal 2-0 for most of the game, and was still down 2-1 entering the final inning.

And then ...

Avery Kies singled. Dani Laughlin laid down a bunt and beat it out.

Finally, Courtney Kessler doubled to the gap to score both runs and win it, 3-2.

“Once Avery got on base, I had all the confidence in the world,” Coach Kessler said.

Dramatic, sure. But not shocking. Remember, Regina trailed in all three of its state-tournament games last year, including a 4-0 quarterfinal deficit against Van Meter.

Former pitcher Emma Nibaur called it “The Regal Way.”

Look back even further.

In the 2017 championship game, the Regals gave up three runs in the top of the 16th inning, then proceeded to score four in the bottom half to stun Eddyville EBF.

There’s a mystique there to go with the high level of talent that Regina annually generates.

“That’s part of our identity,” Coach Kessler said. “It’s kind of a joke to the girls — ‘We just want to make it interesting’ — but at my age, I don’t need that.”

The Regals look to make a passage to Fort Dodge, hopefully devoid of stress, when they face EBF (18-17) in a 2A regional final Monday.

First pitch is 7 p.m. at Regina.

It’s one of four games Monday involving area teams. Also in 2A, No. 4 Lisbon (33-7) hosts upstart South Winneshiek (21-15).

In 1A, No. 2 North Linn (35-6) welcomes Calamus-Wheatland (27-15), and No. 8 Sigourney (25-4) hosts No. 12 Twin Cedars (21-5) in a regional-final rematch.

Winners advance to next week’s state tournament. Lisbon is seeking its sixth consecutive bid; North Linn hopes to make it five in a row.

“South Winn has to be excited,” Lisbon Coach Bob Bunting said. “They’ve beaten two ranked teams (No. 13 Osage and No. 15 Wapsie Valley in the postseason), and they’re obviously not afraid to go on the road.”

Class 2A Regional Finals

(All games, 7 p.m.)

SOUTH WINNESHIEK (21-15) at No. 4 LISBON (33-7)

Region 6

A pair of postseason surprises (at No. 13 Osage, then at No. 15 Wapsie Valley) has South Winn in its first regional final in 24 years. No such newness for Lisbon, which is gunning for its sixth straight state appearance, its first in 2A. The Lions had to sweat out a drizzly 4-3 regional-semifinal win over Alburnett, in which they were out-hit by an 11-3 margin. Addie Clark’s sixth-inning RBI single turned out to be the game-winner. South Winn trailed Wapsie 4-2 after five innings, but scored twice in the sixth and once in the seventh to pull it out. The Warriors were co-champions of the Upper Iowa Conference while Lisbon ran away with the Tri-Rivers East Division.

EDDYVILLE EBF (18-17) at No. 1 IOWA CITY REGINA (26-8)

Region 7

Maybe the Regals have gotten their postseason drama out of the way. They scored once in the sixth inning and twice in the seventh (on Courtney Kessler’s game-winning double) to escape Cardinal, 3-2, in the regional semifinals. Take care of business Monday, and Regina will be a state participant for the 10th time in a 15-year span, which has netted four titles. Dani Laughlin leads 2A in hitting at .610, and Kessler is No. 3 in RBIs (51). They headline a veteran crew of nine starters back from the 2022 title team, and the only hole was filled by the transfer of pitcher Ashley Webb from Clear Creek Amana. Whitney Klyn’s three-run home run in the first inning propelled EBF to a 4-2 regional-semifinal win over East Marshall.

STATE

No. 10 North Union (22-6) at No. 6 West Monona (28-6)

No. 12 Northeast (21-11) at No. 9 Wilton (29-8)

Pocahontas Area (13-16) at No. 2 Van Meter (33-5)

No. 11 Sioux Central (26-5) at No. 8 Missouri Valley (28-3)

South Hardin (27-7) at No. 5 Interstate 35 (24-12)

No. 14 Waterloo Columbus (26-11) at No. 3 Central Springs (24-5)

Class 1A Regional Finals

(All games, 7 p.m.)

CALAMUS-WHEATLAND (27-15) at No. 2 NORTH LINN (35-6)

Region 7

When you get to the top of North Linn’s batting order, you’re shaking a hornets’ nest. Skylar Benesh (77) and Mackenzie Bridgewater (67) are 1-2 in Class 1A in runs scored, and Ellie Flanagan is numero uno in RBIs, with 73. Benesh and Flanagan are two of three 1A players atop the home run chart, with 12. They form the heartbeat of an offense that scores more than 9 runs per game. North Linn is unbeaten against 1A foes this season, including a June 26 sweep of Calamus-Wheatland, 10-0 and 8-2. But the Warriors have won 16 of their last 20 games, pulling a minor surprise, 7-6, at Central City on Friday. Emily Boeckman is hitting .493 with eight home runs and 49 RBIs for Cal-Wheat.

No. 12 TWIN CEDARS (21-5) at No. 8 SIGOURNEY (25-4)

Region 8

These teams played a (surprisingly high-scoring) regional-final dandy last year at Bussey. Twin Cedars won it, 7-6, then went on to capture the 1A state championship. Sigourney holds home-field advantage this year, and has a pitching ace in Carly Goodwin (21-2). The junior and UNI recruit has been nearly unhittable all season, accumulating 289 strikeouts (against five walks) and owns a 0.23 ERA. Teams are hitting .072 against her. Sigourney rolled through the South Iowa Cedar League without a blemish and hasn’t given up a run in its last nine games. Twin Cedars’ best player is catcher Rylee Dunkin, who is hitting .605 with 24 extra-base hits and 37 stolen bases.

STATE

Collins-Maxwell (21-6) at No. 1 Martensdale-St. Marys (24-6)

No. 15 Exira-EHK (22-4) at No. 3 Southeast Warren (24-6)

No. 9 Fort Dodge St. Edmond (22-11) at No. 4 Newell-Fonda (28-8)

No. 14 Griswold (26-3) at No. 5 Wayne (20-8)

No. 10 Logan-Magnolia (23-3) at No. 6 Remsen St. Mary’s (24-1)

Saint Ansgar (23-11) at No. 7 Clarksville (27-1)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com