Top-ranked Gaels snuff Roadrunner attack

FORT DODGE — Fort Dodge St. Edmond coach Paul Hunt’s practice formula came into play during Tuesday’s Class 2A quarterfinal game against Interstate 35.

“I’m really tough on our defense during practice,” Hunt said after the Gaels defeated the Roadrunners 3-0. “Probably 95 percent of our practices are spent on defense. Teams can’t beat you if they don’t score.”

His team made only one error — an errant pickoff throw to first base — behind the two-hit pitching of senior Amanda Lansman.

A young I-35 team, missing injured third baseman Riley Morris, committed five errors as sophomore pitcher Carlyn Stanley allowed only one earned run.

Lansman, meanwhile, relied on her nearly flawless defense while keeping the Roadrunner batters off balance. Between the regional final win over Lawton-Bronson and Tuesday’s state opener, Lansman has allowed only three hits in the past 14 innings pitched.

“Her ball really dances,” Hunt said. “We don’t really put a focus on how hard she’s throwing, we focus on the amount of spin we can get on the ball. We pitch to contact. We try to get teams to pound it into the ground. If they hit it in the air, hopefully it’s a weak fly ball. She’s tough to square up on.”

I-35 coach Tim Bogs started a lineup of six sophomores, two freshmen and an eighth grader against a veteran Gael squad with six players who appeared in the 2013 state tournament.

“I thought we were a little nervous,” Bogs said. “Usually we swing the bat pretty well. Usually we get ahead in the count and sit on a pitch and drive. We didn’t get any drive on the ball today.”

Bogs said he saw similarities in St. Edmond’s situation two years ago with a young team that developed into this year’s 2A favorite, to his team’s current experience.

“They’re number one,” he said. “In a couple years, if we develop like they did, then we’ll be the number one team. We can be disappointed in losing, but not in our effort. It’s a building experience.”

Bogs thought Stanley had one of her best pitching performances despite the loss and five strikeouts in six innings, after amassing 287 strikeouts in 181 innings with a 1.47 ERA. She ranks fifth in the state in strikeouts.

“I told Carlyn it’s probably the best game she’s pitched,” Bogs said. “In our conference she’s going to strike out 11, 12 or 13 a game. But not against the number one team in the state. Today, she kind of controlled where it went. We’ve been talking about that.”

The Roadrunners (25-8) were scheduled to face Iowa City Regina in the 2A consolation semifinals at noon today, after Regina lost to Durant, 2-1, in eight innings. St. Edmond advanced to the semifinals 11:30 a.m. Thursday against Durant.

St. Edmond came into the game with 154 stolen bases, and added seven more in Tuesday’s contest. It didn’t take long for the Gael running game to put pressure on the Roadrunner defense.

Brigid Hanley led off the second with a double and scooted to third on a wild pitch. Audrey Kolacia bunted and reached on an error on the play, allowing Henley to score.

The Gaels made it 2-0 in the bottom of the third after I-35 had been retired in order in the top of each inning. Anna Yung singled and Lansman followed with a single to center field. Page Kinney came in as a courtesy runner for Lansman.

On a double steal, a throwing error to third pushed across another run before Stanley worked out of the jam by fanning Hanley.

It remained 2-0 as I-35 missed a scoring opportunity in the fourth. A popup by Carlyn Stanley fell for a hit when it was lost in the sun by Gael second baseman Lily Peterson. Then Kate Stanley followed with a bloop single into right field.

Lansman kept the Roadrunners off the board with a flyout and two fielder’s choices executed by the Gael defense.

“We had our chances,” Bogs said. “We had first and second and no outs. We didn’t get the bunt down, then we don’t advance her and then we hit a ground ball that would have probably scored a run. It was just little things like that. She (Lansman) had good movement and kind of jammed us up. We couldn’t get extended.”

St. Edmond added one more run in the fifth. Yung led off with a walk and Lansman followed with a one-out single. Kinney, running for Lansman again, stole second as Yung bolted for third, and again the throw to third got into left field for the run.

Bogs had Laynie Duff and Bailey McCuddin sharing time at third base Tuesday with the absence of the injured Morris, who was also the team’s No. 4 batter in the order during the season.

I-35’s other scoring opportunity was in the sixth. Kate Stanley reached on a dropped third strike, and pinch runner Olivia Carlson got all the way to third on a wild pickoff throw to first by Gael catcher Maggie Harvey. But she was stranded as Josie Wickett grounded to Yung at shortstop to end the inning.

Bogs reminded his squad that the best state finish ever for Interstate 35 is fifth place, which is what this year’s Roadrunners could attain with two consolation victories.

“We need to show up and play tomorrow,” Boggs said.

St. Edmond 3, Interstate 35 0

R H E

I-35 000 000 0 — 0 2 5

St. Edmond 011 010 0 — 3 5 1

I35: Carlyn Stanley 5K 1BB and Shai Major. SE: Amanda Lansman 6K 0BB and Maggie Harvey. W — Lansman (25-7). L— Stanley (24-8). 2B — SE: Brigid Hanley. RBI — SE: Audrey Kolacia 1. Multiple hitters — SE: Amanda Lansman 2.