Mount Vernon's grand-slam bid falls short

FORT DODGE -- The unthinkable will go unrealized.Top-ranked Conrad BCLUW scored six runs -- five unearned -- in the second inning and pasted No. 6 Mount Vernon, 7-0, in a Class 2A semifinal at the state softball tournament Thursday night at the Rogers Sports Complex.Mount Vernon was bidding to become the first school in state history to claim all four major girls' sports in one school year. But those hopes drowned in a sea of errors.The Mustangs booted the ball five times in the second inning."It's unfortunate to have one of those innings (on this stage)," said Mustangs Coach Gary Stamp. "I think they hit one ball out of the infield the whole inning. For whatever reason, we just weren't making plays."The unexpected assistance was much more than necessary for hard-throwing pitcher Jamie Fisher, and the defending-champion Comets (40-3) sailed into Friday's final.They'll face No. 8 Wayne (27-3) for the crown at 6 p.m."They were the better team today," said Mount Vernon's Karly Cochrane, a key cog in the school's title charges in volleyball, basketball and track. "They beat us fair and square."This doesn't make our accomplishments this year any less special. It just wasn't meant to be today, and it something we'll have to accept."Mount Vernon (31-13) meets Fort Dodge St. Edmond (31-6) in the third-place game at 5 p.m.The first inning was scoreless, but the Mustangs' troubles in the second inning began immediately. Four infielders combined for the five errors."We tried to stay relaxed, but then the little things started to happen," Cochrane said. "When that happens, it's contagious sometimes."BCLUW collected 12 hits, including a 3-for-3 performance by No. 8 hitter Allison Sharp.The Mustangs made decent contact against Fisher, striking out five times. But it paid off for only three hits -- by Cochrane, Micah Wieditz and Kari Martin."Give them credit; they played good defense," Stamp said. "We put the ball in play, but the ball found their gloves."

Mount Vernon ........................................ 000 000 0 -- 0  3  5

Conrad BCLUW ....................................... 060 010 x -- 7  12  0

Emily Stoner (L), Jenna Pisarik (3) and Micah Wieditz. Jamie Fisher (W) and Nicole Fisher.