Monticello falls in state debut

 FORT DODGE -- They hit hard. And they ran harder.Fifth-ranked Bondurant-Farrar applied the pressure on the basepaths, assembling a six-run explosion in the second inning and defeating No. 9 Monticello, 8-2, in a Class 3A quarterfinal at the state softball tournament Monday evening at the Rogers Sports Complex."We like to put the other team in a position in which it has to make plays, and that worked out well for us tonight," said Lady Jays Coach Roger Roland. "A lot of credit goes to my son Justin (Roland, the first-base coach). He's 33 and I'm 62, so he's a lot more aggressive than I am."The Lady Jays (28-12) broke a 1-1 tie, collecting six hits -- including five in a row -- in the top of the second. They weren't shy in taking extra bases when they were there."Coach (Tiffany Rave) was telling us they would do that if we weren't 100-percent heads-up," said Monticello outfielder Kennedy Kraus. "That was the problem; we weren't always fully ready for the next play."Officially, Monticello (31-7) was ruled to have committed two errors. It could have been more.As a result, the Panthers will head into consolation play Wednesday. They'll face Estherville-Lincoln Central (20-11) at 10 a.m., then will play for fifth or seventh place at 2 p.m."We're a little bummed for now, but we're still at the state softball tournament," Rave said. "We still get to play two great teams Wednesday."Monticello is making its first appearance at state.Bondurant-Farrar meets No. 1 Sergeant Bluff-Luton (34-3) in a semifinal at 3 p.m. Thursday.The teams each recorded a first-inning tally. The Lady Jays got theirs on an error; Monticello got even when Sonya McCormick scampered home on Allison Kraus' fly ball.Monticello had a chance for more, with the bases loaded and one out. But they couldn't cash in."A clutch hit would have been big there," Rave said.From there, the Lady Jays gained control for good. They scored a run on a squeeze, then Ashley Burrows, Sam Koehn, Keely Bycroft and Annika Ekstram delivered run-scoring hits.Monticello got within 7-2 in the third on Kori Bohlken's RBI double in the third, but the Lady Jays got that run back in the fifth.Bondurant-Farrar finished with 13 hits, three apiece from Burrows, Emily Wilson and Cailey Schlenker. 

Cailey Schlenker and Erin Sawatzky. Erin Hosch and Lael Lubben. W -- Schlenker (17-9). L -- Hosch (23-6).

3A State Quarterfinal

R

H

E

Bondurant-Farrar

1 6 0

0 1 0

--

8

13

2

Monticello

1 0 1

0 0 0

--

2

5

2