Dowling pitcher throws ninth no-hitter in tournament history

Two teams familiar with the championship game meet tonight for the 1A crown at the state softball tournament. Cardinal is third-ranked and will bid for a second consecutive title. Woodbury Central, the 2002 1A tournament champs, is the top-ranked team. In 2A games at the tournament, Savanna Walls had a bunt single to open the third inning and scored on the same play after two throwing errors as fourth ranked Clear Creek-Amana stunned top-ranked and defending champion Solon 6-0. Also in 2A, Josie Barrow’s two-run homer in the sixth was the game winner as Woodward-Granger beat Albia 3-2. Barrow was not expecting to get a pitch to hit after she hit a solo homer for the Hawks first run. “My coach was like, ‘Hey, we need a base runner in. Don’t expect anything close to the plate,'” Barrow said. “(The pitcher) just gave it to me so I just let it ride.” Unranked Waukee has made it to the class 3A title game after a 4-1 victory over fifth-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier. It was also the 300th win for Warrior coach Jen Slauson. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think we’d be here, but we got hot at the end of the year,” she said. “It’s been a fun road. These girls are a great bunch of girls and they’re so fun to coach.” Waukee will play Spirit Lake for the 3A title. Pitcher Katie Brown homered as the third-rated Indians beat second-ranked Winterset 2-1. “I got a perfect pitch and I just creamed it,” Brown said. After throwing the 37th no-hitter in tournament history on Wednesday night, Dowling Catholic’s Stephanie Ackerson fired the ninth perfect game in tournament history in the third ranked Maroon’s 2-0 win over Linn-Mar in the 4A semifinals. “It’s an awesome feeling,” she said. But she credited her team’s defense with helping her get the milestone.