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Linn-Mar blanks Cedar Falls, will play for the 5A championship Thursday
Emily Koranda spins a 1-hitter in an 8-0 semifinal rout, and the Lions reach their first state final since 2006
Jul. 23, 2025 4:22 pm
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FORT DODGE — The Linn-Mar Lions believed, long before the rest of us caught on.
“From the start of the season, we knew we were underrated,” pitcher Emily Koranda said. “We believed we could get to this point, and now we plan to win it.”
Koranda spun a one-hitter, Annie Cassidy’s three-hit effort ignited a prolific, balanced offensive attack and second-ranked Linn-Mar blanked No. 7 Cedar Falls, 8-0, in a six-inning Class 5A semifinal at the state softball tournament Wednesday afternoon at the Rogers Sports Complex.
“These (opportunities) don’t happen overnight,” Linn-Mar Coach Maddy Colbert said. “They come as a result of kids that have worked their butts off for 10 to 12 years.”
As opportunities go, they come no bigger than this: Linn-Mar (35-6) faces No. 1 Waukee Northwest (39-5) — an 11-3 victor over No. 4 Ankeny Centennial — for the 5A state championship at 7:30 Thursday night.
This will mark Linn-Mar’s second appearance in the finals; they were 4A runners-up to Des Moines East in 2006.
“We wanted to get here,” said Lexus Krug, who drove in a pair of runs. “Making the championship game is even better. Hopefully we can win it.”
Koranda sidestepped a bases-loaded dilemma — two errors and a walk — in the top of the first inning, then coasted from there for her second gem of the week.
She limited Pleasant Valley to two hits in the first round Monday.
“(The first-inning escape) really carried its good momentum,” said Koranda, who didn’t allow another baserunner until the fifth inning. “I trusted the defense, and I trusted myself and (catcher) Kaylie (Alvey).”
Cassidy was 3-for-3 with a walk, scored twice and drove in a run. She started the Lions’ first scoring rally with a leadoff single in the second.
“I just wanted to put the ball in play hard,” Cassidy said. “I was looking for my pitches, attacking early (in the count) and swinging with confidence.”
Linn-Mar rapped 11 hits, and everybody contributed in some fashion. Seven batters collected at least one hit. Krug was 0-for-2, but knocked in two runs.
The Lions tallied twice in the second inning. Koranda’s two-run double highlighted a three-run rally in the third. Then it was two unearned runs in the fifth to make it 7-0.
Hayden Koutny doubled to lead off the sixth, then Emma Barnes singled her home to end the game prematurely.
Koranda (ACL) and Barnes (ankle) missed the 2024 season with injuries, and the Lions went 19-20. They entered the season unrated, but climbed the rankings swiftly.
“(Last year) was tough, but it got us to where we are today,” Colbert said.
“This is the perfect ending to what has been a great season. To see it come to fruition is amazing.”
Cedar Falls (31-10) will play Centennial (30-12) in the third-place game at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Linn-Mar 8, Cedar Falls 0
Class 5A State Semifinal, at Fort Dodge
Cedar Falls 000 000 — 0 1 3
Linn-Mar 023 021 — 8 11 3
Sydney Runyan, Lexi Trueg (3) and Keira Rathjen. Emily Koranda and Kaylie Alvey. W — Koranda (19-3). L — Runyan (14-6).
Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com
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