Thursday night was a rough one on top-ranked teams in the Girls’ State Softball Tournament in Fort Dodge. In class 3A, Becca Macks infield single in the fourth drove in the winning run as fourth-ranked West Des Moines Valley stunned top-ranked Cedar Rapids Jefferson 3-2, handing the J-Hawks their first loss in 52-games this season. The victory for Valley came after standout shortstop Kelsey Wells slipped and fell during pregame warm-up’s injuring her elbow. the game was delayed about 30-minutes and wells was taken off by stretcher. Valley coach Tom Bakey says she stepped on her shoelace and then when she put out her glove hand to break her fall, she dislocated her elbow. Bakey felt his team bounced back after a rocky start.In the class 1A semifinals, Nicole Roth had two hits and two r-b-i as fifth ranked Bellevue toppled number-one South Hamilton 4-2. Kayla Grutz tossed a five hitter as the Comets advance to the title game in their first trip to the tournament.Third-rated Cardinal spotted Edgewood-Colesburg an early 2-0 lead but roared back and scored six runs in the top of the seventh for an 11-3 victory. A scary moment for Cardinal in the first inning. Sophomore pitcher Allysa Fligg collided with Ed-Co’s Jessica Daker as she scored on a wild pitch in the first inning.Fligg says the game was an example of why they have gotten this far, as they got behind but had enough confidence to bring themselves back up.Fifth-ranked Carlisle started quickly by scoring two runs in the first inning and the Wildcats stunned top ranked Independence 4-2. Seventh ranked Solon has ridden the arm of 8th grade pitcher Courtney Strang into the title game. Strang posted another shutout, this one 3-0 over second ranked forest city.Strang says it was “unbelievable” and she never thought she’d be this successful this early. She says an early lead boosted her confidence.
