The Eagle Grove Eagles and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Cowgirls softball teams returned to action on Thursday, as the two county rivals faced one another in the first round of Class 3A, Region 2 action at Greenwood Park in Eagle Grove. Eagle Grove entered at 15-10, while CGD entered at 1-20.
Following a scoreless 1st inning, it was Eagle Grove that got on the board first behind a 3-run, inside-the-park home run by Addy Jeske as the Eagles took a 3-0 lead after 2 innings. Following a scoreless 3rd, CGD would score a run on a wild pitch from Blaire Askelsen to cut the score to 3-1, but Eagle Grove would blow the doors open on the game with a 4-run 4th inning, including a Crystal Flores 3-run RBI single to put the Eagles ahead 7-1. Eagle Grove would put up a pair of runs in the 5th to cap a 9-1, 5-inning victory.
For Eagle Grove, Addy Jeske would go 1-for-2 with an inside-the-park home run and 4 RBI, while Crystal Flores went 1-for-3 with a 3-run RBI single. Mya Morgan pitched all 5 innings, allowing 1 run on 1 hit and struck out 8.
For Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, Ella Engstrom recorded the lone Cowgirl hit, as Quinn Brooks, Blaire Askelsen, Adelynn Howell and Kayla Hasty all reached base, with Askelsen scoring a run. Tess Wibholm pitched 4.2 innings, allowing 9 runs (7 earned) on 5 hits and struck out 6.
Eagle Grove advances to the Class 3A, Region 2 semifinals, as they host the Humboldt Wildcats on Saturday evening at 7 PM at Greenwood Park. Clarion-Goldfield-Dows softball’s season ends with a record of 1-21.