One swing separates ADM, Clear Creek Amana in 4A state softball pitchers’ duel

FORT DODGE — Instead of beating herself up, Ashley Webb tipped her cap.

“Yeah, it was a little bit of a miss,” said Webb, sophomore pitcher for Clear Creek Amana.

“But she hit the crap out of the ball.”

Aliya Yanga blasted a fourth-inning home run, and that turned out to be the difference in third-ranked Adel ADM’s 1-0 Class 4A quarterfinal victory over No. 8 Clear Creek Amana at the state softball tournament Tuesday afternoon at the Rogers Sports Complex.

Yanga was a two-way star for the Tigers (26-10), pitching a two-hit shutout in addition to her bomb to right field.

“I just wanted to make contact,” she said. “I didn’t want to do too much.

“I just thought it was a pop fly. But it went out.”

ADM advances to face No. 2 Western Dubuque (33-7) in a 4A semifinal at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

“We’re young, and we want to keep pushing,” Yanga said.

With the exception of one pitch, Webb (17-6) was every bit Yanga’s equal in the circle. She pitched a two-hitter of her own, striking out 12 and walking one.

“I just take a deep breath and go at my own pace,” Webb said. “I knew they were going to bed a good hitting team, so the plan was to work the zone.”

CCA’s Bailey Olerich said, “We have 100-percent confidence in her. She could be 3-and-0 on a batter and come back with no hesitation.”

The Clippers (29-10) will face North Polk (18-15) in a consolation contest at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

“We’ll be ready to play,” Olerich said.

Yanga preceded her home run with a long foul ball to right. Then she straightened it out enough for the game’s lone tally.

Clear Creek Amana’s best chance came in the first inning. Olerich reached on an infield single, then stole second base and moved to third on Gabrielle Bedford’s groundout.

But she was stranded there, and it remained scoreless until Yanga’s eighth homer of the season broke the tie in the fourth.

Reese Stockman had CCA’s other hit, a two-out single in the seventh.

ADEL ADM 1, CLEAR CREEK AMANA 0

Class 4A State Quarterfinal, at Fort Dodge

Clear Creek Amana 000 000 0 — 0 2 0

ADM 000 100 x — 1 2 1

Ashley Webb and Katelyn LeFleur. Aliya Yanga and Addison Banse. W --Yanga (NA) . L — Webb (17-6). HR — ADM: Yanga (8).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com