Spartans cruise in regional softball opener

 KIMBALLTON (July 2) -- Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton didn’t waste any time taking care of business vs. Southwest Valley in Monday’s Class 1A regional softball opener.
 Posting back-to-back five spots in the second and third innings and getting an abbreviated perfect game from eighth-grade pitcher Macy Emgarten, the Spartans rolled by the Timberwolves 12-0 in just three innings.
 Exira-EHK (13-8) totaled eight singles and a double and took advantage of four Southwest Valley errors, including one on the final play that let in two runs and ended the contest.
 Bailey Robertson, Sophia Peppers and Mollie Rasmussen finished with two hits each and Alisa Partridge had a double and scored two runs. Also scoring twice were Kealey Nelson, Robertson and Peppers.
 E-EHK coach Jodee Dixon said that the team practiced on Sunday and talked about bringing their best effort against the underdog Timberwolves, who finished 6-19. Dixon was in the process of inserting some subs into the game when it ended abruptly.
 “At the end of practice we just said, ‘No matter how it goes, we just need to come out and play like we know how to play and do our job and get ‘er done,’ and that’s what they did today,” Dixon said.
 Emgarten (11-7) certainly held up her end of the bargain, retiring all nine Southwest Valley batters she faced and striking out four. Only one Timberwolves’ player hit the ball to the outfield.
 Monday’s win advanced the Spartans to a Region 7 quarterfinal at Grand View Christian on Tuesday.