Lots of close games at state softball tourney

The class 3-A quarterfinal round highlighted Tuesday night’s action at the state softball tournament. Muscatine freshman Margaret Lear scampered home from third on a passed ball in the top of the eighth as the sixth ranked Muskies downed defending champion Des Moines Lincoln 1-0. Muscatine coach Denny Schur says he felt it would take a play like that to get a run off Lincoln pitcher Lisa Birocci.Lincoln coach Roger Roland says it was a disappointing loss for his players, but not the worst thing that could ever happen to them.Nicole Faul’s RBI single in the fourth scored the game’s only run as Cedar Rapids Jefferson downed 18th ranked Boone 1-0 in a class 3-A quarterfinal round game.Faul knew with a runner in scoring position she needed to try and get the run home and said she focused on getting a base hit.Second-ranked West Des Moines Dowling got a two-hitter from Cristen Slings to down West Delaware 3-0.Melissa Yarham had an RBI double, part of a three run ninth as third ranked North Scott downed fifth ranked Sioux City North 8-5.The class 2-A quarterfinal round was delayed an hour by rain. Second ranked Clear Creek-Amana scored a run in the fifth to down 16th ranked Western Christian 2-1. Clippers coach Jim White says his team is just happy to advance.Top ranked and defending champ Waukee survived an upset bid by 11th ranked Grinnell. Jaymi Kragel singled to lead off the top of the tenth and circled the bases on two Grinnell errors as the Warriors claimed a 2-1 win.