Thursday July 25th Local Sports

FORT DODGE — Charles City’s hopes of a state softball title were dashed on Wednesday as the 4th-ranked Comets fell to 3rd-ranked North Scott 3-2 in nine innings in a Class 4A semifinal at the Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge. Charles City was up 2-0 after a 2-run homer by Ashlyn Hoeft, but North Scott tied the game in the bottom of the seventh when outfield errors by the Comets resulted in two runs being pushed across. Sam Lee then had a walkoff RBI single for North Scott in the bottom of the ninth to win the game. Charles City drops to 36-4 on the season and will face 6th-ranked West Delaware in the 4A third-place game late Friday afternoon. North Scott advances to face top-ranked Carlisle, who beat West Delaware 7-6 in eight innings in Wednesday’s other 4A semifinal.

 

 

— Wednesday’s other semifinals
= Class 1A Semifinals
#3 Clarksville 1, #2 Lisbon 0
#1 Collins-Maxwell 9, #4 Newell-Fonda 1

 

= Class 2A Semifinals
#1 North Linn 8, #9 Mount Ayr 1
#13 Alta-Aurelia 2, #5 East Marshall 1

 

= Class 3A Semifinals
#1 Davenport Assumption 6, #6 Waterloo Columbus 0
#2 Louisa-Muscatine 10, #4 West Liberty 2

 

= Class 5A Semifinals
#1 Waukee 3, #5 Johnston 1
#8 West Des Moines Valley 4, #6 Iowa City High 2

 

 

— Today’s schedule at the state softball tournament

Class 1A Third Place — 5:00 p.m. — #4 Newell-Fonda (38-6) vs. #2 Lisbon (33-7)
Class 1A Championship — 6:00 p.m. — #1 Collins-Maxwell (27-1) vs. #3 Clarksville (33-1)

Class 2A Third Place — 7:00 p.m. — #9 Mount Ayr (26-3) vs. #5 East Marshall (32-5)
Class 2A Championship — 8:15 p.m. — #1 North Linn (41-4) vs. #13 Alta-Aurelia (22-9)

 

 

DES MOINES — All-District softball teams were released last night by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association:

=== 1A North Central
Macy Alexander Newman Catholic 12
Lily Castle Newman Catholic 11
Paige Leininger Newman Catholic 11
Kiya Johnson North Butler 8
Alex Mathers North Butler 12
Jamie Schuster Rockford 12
Emma Ramon Rockford 11
Josie Gansen Riceville 10
Laura Hopperstad Northwood-Kensett 12

 

=== 2A Northeast
Hannah Ausenhus Central Springs 12
Kaylea Fessler Central Springs 9
Abigayle Angell Central Springs 10
Jadyn Anderson Saint Ansgar 12
Tanyon Schutjer Saint Ansgar 12
Katelyn Halbach Osage 12

 

=== 3A Central
Julia Merfeld Clear Lake 11
Kelsey Koch Forest City 12
Courtney Miller Hampton-Dumont 11

 

=== 4A Northeast
Lisabeth Fiser Charles City 11
Samantha Heyer Charles City 12
Ashlyn Hoeft Charles City 9
District Coach of the Year: Brian Bohlen, Charles City

 

 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Didi Gregorius drove in three more runs with two of New York’s nine extra-base hits, and the Yankees clobbered Minnesota’s pitching once again in a 10-7 win over the Twins. Aaron Hicks, Gleyber Torres and Edwin Encarnación each hit solo home runs for the Yankees, who outscored the Twins 30-27 to take the three-game series and turned Target Field into a private batting cage with a total of 48 hits, half of them for extra bases. Eddie Rosario, Marwin Gonzalez and Nelson Cruz homered for the Twins.

 

 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins have made more changes to their ravaged bullpen, designating right-hander Blake Parker for assignment. The Twins also sent right-hander Kohl Stewart to Triple-A Rochester and promoted left-hander Devin Smeltzer and right-hander Carlos Torres from the International League club. Parker, who signed a one-year, $1.8 million contract as a free agent with the Twins in January, had a 4.21 ERA in 37 games. He’s the fourth reliever dumped by the team in the last two weeks.

 

 

DES MOINES — The reigning world champion in the 100 meters will have a decision to make after Thursday afternoon’s preliminary round at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines. Justin Gatlin has already locked up a spot in the World Championships and the Olympic gold medalist must decide if he will make a run at the national title this week.

At the age of 37 Gatlin is ancient by sprinter standards but he remains one of the best in the world.

There is also a youth movement in the sprints. Former USC standout Rai Benjamin runs his prelim in the 400 hurdles tonight. He has already recorded the fourth fastest time ever.

Michael Norman is the world indoor record holder in the 400 and faces his first prelim tonight. With the World Championships in Qatar being moved to the fall Norman says it has altered their schedule.

This week marks one year until the Tokyo Olympics but Norman says that is not even on his radar, yet.

The USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships are taking place at Drake Stadium.

 

 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kristi Toliver scored 20 of her season-high 32 points in the first half, Elena Delle Donne reached 3,500 career points and the Washington Mystics beat the Minnesota Lynx 79-71. Toliver scored 14 points in the first quarter by making her first six shots and topped her previous season high of 19 in the first half to help Washington build a 44-32 lead.