Solon makes it a rout for the record books

FORT DODGE - Mercy, mercy.

Top-ranked Solon fired the first salvo of the Class 3A portion of the state softball tournament, setting an all-time state-tournament record for runs in an inning - 13, in the second - and blasting defending-champion Clarke, 18-0, in three innings Tuesday afternoon at the Rogers Sports Complex.

'We played so well,” said senior Taylor Nearad, who smoked a home run and drove in five runs. 'Last week was a rough week. We worked our butts off.”

It was, in the words of Coach Jim White, 'the best week of practice I've ever been associated with. I was highly concentrated, very intense. It's my job to set the tone.”

That tone spread throughout Solon's camp, and the result was quarterfinal carnage. The Spartans (40-3) matched an all-time tournament record for runs in a game, and it took just three innings to get there.

'Coach told me it was time to get mad and hit the crap out of the ball,” said Lexi Stebral, who added three RBIs out of her No. 9 slot in a prolific Solon attack. 'This is a great feeling, and I love it, but we just want to keep going and get to the top.”

The next step comes at 11 a.m. Thursday, No. 8 Center Point-Urbana (30-13) in the semifinal round. The Stormin' Pointers downed No. 7 Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley, 10-5, Tuesday.

Clarke (20-18) was the 3A state champion last year, but it was apparent right away Tuesday that the Indians weren't in Solon's class this summer.

The Spartans struck for three runs in the first inning. Sydney Lawson led off with an infield single (her first of three Tuesday), motored all the way to third on a stolen base/wild pitch combo and scored on Nearad's groundout. Two more runs scored on an error.

Solon was just getting warmed up. Sixteen batters came to the bat in the second inning. The Spartans got their 13 runs (seven earned) on nine hits and a pair of errors.

Stebral drove in three with a pair of singles. Jess Heick added a two-run single. And Nearad doubled home a run, then capped the explosion with three-run homer.

'I don't know what happened there,” Nearad said. 'When I come to the plate, I just tell myself, ‘A base hit will do. I just want to get on base.' '

The Spartans tallied two more in the third inning, then Emily Ira wrapped up a three-inning, five-strikeout no-hitter.

Perhaps White set the tone an hour before the game during the coinflip. The Spartans won the toss, and opted to hit first.

And score first. And score lots.

'Hey, if you're comfortable with your pitcher, why not?” he said.

The other teams to tally 18 in a game at state were West Des Moines Dowling (against Ottumwa in the 1992 championship game) and Remsen St. Mary's (against Martensdale-St. Marys in a consolation semifinal in 2013). The previous record for runs in an inning was 12, by East Marshall (against Waukon in a consolation game in 2012).

SOLON 18, CLARKE 0 (3 innings)

Class 3A State Quarterfinal, at Fort Dodge

Solon 3(13)2 - 18 15 0

Clarke 000 - 0 0 4

Emily Ira and Monika Bevans. Sudnee Redman and Kassidy Spurgin. W - Ira (26-12). L - Redman (10-12). HR - Solon: Taylor Nearad (9).

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com