Kennedy softball rewards MVC foe who helped them clinch outright division title

Cedar Rapids Kennedy entered its final regular-season doubleheader Tuesday needing a little help. And they got it.

The Cougars and Iowa City West were tied atop the MVC Valley Division in the loss column with two defeats apiece, having split their regular-season series June 7.

Kennedy took care of business by sweeping Dubuque Senior 2-1 and 10-0 to clinch a share of the division title, while West still had twinbills against Linn-Mar (Tuesday) and Dubuque Hempstead (Wednesday) left on its schedule.

But the outright championship became Kennedy's when Linn-Mar sophomore Elly Schuemann hit her first career home run, an eighth-inning walk-off grand slam that gave the Lions an 8-4 win in the opener against the defending Valley Division champs.

At the helpful advice of Gazette sportswriter Jeff Linder, the Cougars made sure the good deed didn't go unnoticed.

@jtlinder Got it covered pic.twitter.com/h5IhWlkBl4

— Kennedy SoftBALLERS (@KSoftballers)

'It's unbelievable,' Schuemann said after Wednesday's game. 'I've never had this sort of feeling before, but it's a great feeling.'

Linn-Mar finished fourth in the division at 17-9, two of those losses coming to the Cougars back on May 24 (7-0, 4-3).

Kennedy begins Region 3 play Saturday against the winner of Iowa City High and Davenport Central. Linn-Mar is at Cedar Rapids Jefferson in Region 6.

so proud of this team... out right Mississippi Valley Conference Champs... 1st time in 20 years... roll cougs pic.twitter.com/2SqSA4g173

— Paige Timmerman (@Paige_Timmerman)