1A Regional Softball: Exira-EHK handles WIC foes Audubon, Riverside; next test at No. 4 Newell-Fonda
OAKLAND (July 10) -- The Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton softball team advanced to the regional semifinals earlier this week following Class 1A, Region 2 victories over Audubon and Riverside.
The Spartans defeated Audubon 8-2 in a first round game in Kimballton Monday and also won at Riverside 7-3 on Wednesday night. Now 13-14 overall, Exira-EHK will travel to Fonda on Friday to face 4th-ranked Newell-Fonda (35-5) in a Region 2 semifinal.
Exira-EHK 8, Audubon 2
KIMBALLTON (July 8) -- The Spartans used two big innings to handle the Wheelers on Monday, scoring five runs in the second and three in the fifth to back up the steady pitching of freshman Macy Emgarten.
Tatum Grubbs ignited the five-run second with a leadoff double and all five runs came across with two outs. Shay Burmeister’s two-run single and Mollie Rasmussen’s two-run double drove in four of the runs.
Following singles by Grubbs and Makenzie Riley to open the fifth, Emgarten doubled home one run, Alisa Partridge had a safety squeeze bunt RBI and Burmeister’s infield single made it 8-0.
Spartan head coach Ashton Koehlmoos said the team had confidence at the plate against the Wheelers after winning a regular season matchup 15-1 on June 29.
“Again tonight we ripped the ball and that was our primary focus,” Koehlmoos said. “Macy got started with pitching right away and then from there, once we took that 5-0 lead we could just relax and play our game and that’s exactly what we did.”
Burmeister, Lexi Madsen, Tatum Grubbs and Emgarten finished with two hits each vs. Audubon (8-22). Tatum Grubbs and courtesy runner Quinn Grubbs both scored two runs and Burmeister led the team with three RBI.
Emgarten (11-13) took control early in the pitching circle, retiring the first eight batters of the game and finishing with a five-hitter. She walked just one batter and struck out 10, mixing in her off-speed pitches with the fastball to keep the Wheelers guessing.
Class 1A, Region 2 Softball Tourney
First Round Scores: Monday, July 8
Woodbine 16, Glidden-Ralston 4 (3) Ar-We-Va 9, St. Albert 8
Riverside 7, Boyer Valley 3 CAM 4, Coon Rapids-Bayard 1
Exira-EHK 8, Audubon 2
Quarterfinal Scores: Wednesday, July 10
#4 Newell-Fonda 15, Woodbine 0 (3) Ar-We-Va 5, #12 West Harrison 4
Exira-EHK 7, Riverside 3 Ridge View 11, CAM 1 (5)
Semifinal Pairings: Friday, July 12
Exira-EHK (13-14) at #4 Newell-Fonda (35-5), 7:00 p.m.
Ar-We-Va (9-11) vs. Ridge View (22-10) - at Onawa, 5:30 p.m.
Regional Final: Monday, July 15 (Site TBD), 7:00 p.m.