The Class 1A quarterfinals opened the state high school softball tournament in Fort Dodge. Third ranked Martenasdale-St. Marys scored three runs in the top of the first and cruised to a 6-1 victory over LeMars Gehlen.

Martensdale-St. Marys coach Todd Verwers says it always feels good to get the first win, and said “it’s kind of like meeting back up with that girlfriend you broke up with last year, you still get a little nervous and your heart pounds, but if you weather that storm early, all of a sudden you start feeling fine.”

He says they were able to weather the storm with some early runs. Verwers says the Blue Devils were ready for a challenge from Gehlen. He says Gehlen had upset the top ranked team and they knew it would be a tough test.

Ashley Goslar singled in the game winner in the top of the seventh as 10th ranked Charter Oak-Ute upset number-four Newell-Fonda 4-3. “I was really nervous, I was shaking, but then I got up there and I just cleared,” Goslar said.

Goslar expected to get the bunt sign with the go ahead run on third and one out, but she says it was okay when she got the hit sign, even though she doesn’t hit much.

Senior catcher Amy Wright slammed a pair of homers, a three run shot in the first and a two run blast in the fifth as second ranked Earlham rolled past Bellevue Marquette 8-0. Wright says a home run is nice anytime, but to do it in a big game left her “kind of shocked.”