FORT DODGE — Three-peat, secured.
Williamsburg – the No. 2 seed in Class 3A – took down top-seeded Wahlert Catholic at the Iowa high school softball state tournament on July 25. The Raiders defeated the Golden Eagles, 3-2, to claim their third-straight state crown.
“We’re all truly grateful to even make it through to the championship,” said third baseman Makenna Hughes. “I’m just so happy, especially for all the seniors because we’ve wanted it for a long time, so it’s great to get it done.”
The Raiders came out swinging, with Hughes sending the ball into center field and making it to first base on the game's opening pitch. Carly Rich stepped up next and bunted, and an error against Wahlert Catholic allowed Hughes to score.
Williamsburg carried that momentum into the bottom of the opening inning. Whalert junior Ruth Tauber got on base in her first at-bat, but the Raiders sent the next batter back to the dugout. Then Taylor Sanchez, Rich and Taylor Pitlick turned a double play to pick up the third out and end the frame.
The Raiders did more of the same in the second, adding another run – this time off the bat of Ava Hocker – and sitting down the Wahlert offense after just four batters came to the plate.
But the Golden Eagles’ defense held Williamsburg without a score in the top of the third inning, and then their offense went to work. Natalie Ruba hit a lead-off double and Julia Roth was intentionally walked. Kylie Sieverding notched a base hit to bring home Wahlert’s first run of the game.
Addison Klein got on base next to load the bases. Sadie Schultz collected four balls for a walk, which allowed courtesy runner Ari McClimon to score the game-tying run before Williamsburg pitcher Jersey Metz earned a strikeout to stop the bleeding.
After exchanging scores between the first and third innings, neither team scored in the fourth.
Williamsburg added another run in the top of the fifth, off a base hit from Alley Gorsh that scored Hughes from second base. That gave the Raiders a 3-2 lead, which stood through the next two-and-a-half innings.
The Raiders managed to hang on to the lead thanks to stellar defensive performances in the sixth inning, particularly from Hughes on third base. She picked up the second out of the frame with a diving catch in front of home plate. Then she got a putout at first base to sit the next batter down to move into the seventh.
“I was just thinking, ‘Let’s get three outs,’” Hughes said. “I wasn’t thinking anything too complex…and it was just a happy accident that I dove and got the ball.”
Neither team scored in the final inning of the game, and Williamsburg’s one-run lead proved enough to take home their third-straight championship trophy.
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at [email protected] or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.