Rolling into Fort Dodge

ATLANTIC – For the first time since 2016, Creston softball is heading back to the state tournament.

Creston knocked off Hawkeye 10 Conference champion, and Class 3A No. 10 ranked team, Atlantic Monday night in a 6-3 final. With the win, Creston claimed the Class 3A Region 3 title, guaranteeing a trip to state.

The win locks in Creston as the No. 8 seed in the class, and is scheduled to play No. 1 seeded Albia (19-1) Monday night at 7 p.m. at Kruger Field in Fort Dodge.

As the head coach of both the 2015 and 2016 state-qualifying Creston softball teams, head coach Mike McCabe feels the team is loose and has grinded hard to get where they’re going, and thinks they’ve still got some gas left in the tank for next week’s contest against the top seed.

“I think we’re kind of in that mode where we’re a pretty loose group and don’t get too nervous,” said McCabe. “That was our goal (to get to Fort Dodge) and what a great feeling [it is] to have a goal and to keep working, ... It was up and down and leveled off and they stuck with it. Its pretty satisfying and I think they’ll take that up there and be grateful for not only that, but the whole season that we’ve been able to play.”

Of teams in the Class 3A pool, Creston is the only “unranked” team to be playing. Creston did not receive a vote all season in the IGHSAU state rankings in Class 3A.

Ahead from the start

Creston’s day started off with a bang, getting the first base runner on with a single by Sara Keeler on the first pitch of the game.

Keeler made her way to third for Emma Hanson, who singled her home with two outs to give Creston a quick 1-0 lead.

In the bottom half of the first, Atlantic started to push back, but Creston’s pitcher Keely Coen held her own, getting a ground out with two on to end the inning.

A leadoff double from Halle Evans in the second, an infield single from Coen and a bunt single from Heylee Shields loaded the bases up for Keeler with no outs.

Keeler drove in one, making it 2-0, and Gracie Hagle drove one in off the pitcher’s glove to make it 3-0.

Creston stranded the bases loaded in the second, but were not the only to do so in the inning. Atlantic had a prime opportunity to strike, but Coen and the defense held strong as a line out to Hagle at short ended the threat.

In the third inning, Atlantic was able to break through. With two outs, a ground ball to Hagle was mishandled and thrown wide of Keeler at first base, putting a runner on.

Miscommunication on the infield and another error loaded the bases for Atlantic, and Caroline Pellett was able to put a number on the board with a two-RBI single.

McKenzie Waters followed with a slap single that scored the tying run at 3-3. At the end of the inning, score still tied, McCabe saw a never quit mentality from his soon-to-be-junior shortstop after her error led to the inning extending.

“What I wondered was, what’s she going to say when she came off,” said McCabe. “... She said the right thing. She was the first one in the huddle like ‘let’s go, we need to get those (runs) back. My bad.’ That shows a lot of maturity, ... then Nevaeh (Randall) had that big hit for us.”

The Panthers took little time to get the lead back, getting a two-out single from Hagle. Then, in stepped Neveah Randall.

Hitting 4-5 with a double, a homer and two RBIs this postseason, Randall continued to rip the cover off the ball with a two-run homer to center field, breaking the tie.

After striking out in her last at-bat, Randall said she waited for something she was comfortable hitting, and wasn’t looking to drive the ball out of the yard.

“The first half of the game, she was kind of throwing me junk, throwing me screwball and riseballs,” said Randall. “I was ahead in the count and she threw me inside and I just took it straight out like I needed to to get us ahead. I was just looking for a base hit, but I got just enough to get it over [the fence].”

The two-run homer was the last hit of the game for Creston, who was sent down in 10 of its last 13 at-bats. But, this didn’t stop the Panthers from producing one more run in the top of the seventh.

A leadoff walk to Randall and an error on a Hanson hit put runners on the corners for Morgan Driskell.

Driskell grounded out to first, unassisted. Randall scored on the play to give Creston more insurance, 5-3, heading into the bottom half of the seventh.

A two-out single from Reagan Pellett was the only blemish in a perfect inning for Creston against the 3-4-5 batters in the Trojan lineup. A leadoff fly out from Olivia Engler and two 1-3 putouts ended the game the game.

When the final out was recorded on the flip from Coen to Keeler, Keeler jumped into third baseman Randall’s arms as the rest of the team jumped on top of her in celebration.

Coen, coming off potentially the game of her short high school career Friday night against North Polk, was again masterful in all seven innings. Despite just one strikeout, her ability to keep Atlantic off-balance and guessing at the plate was backed up by solid defense.

“Give her credit, give our defense credit for sticking with it,” said McCabe on both Coen and the defense. “Just a great ballgame. Wonderful regional final game. ...”

Coen admitted there were nerves going into the game, knowing that Atlantic would hit her around, but felt confident in her defense.

“I was feeling pumped. I was a little nervous,” said Coen. “We came out and played our game and won. ... I was in a groove, but they kept hitting and I was getting a little nervous, but we brought it back to them. I just knew I’d have to hit my spots, and if they hit it, my defense would back me up.”

Knowing she’ll be seeing some of the best in the class next versus Albia, and will likely be in line to be one of the youngest starting pitchers at the state tournament, Coen thinks she’ll be just fine.

“I’ll be a little nervous, but I think I’ll be fine,” said Coen.

Creston 6, Atlantic 3

R  H  E

CR  120 200 1 — 6  6  3

AT  003 000 0 — 3  9  4

CR: Keely Coen 7IP 1K 2BB and Peyton Rice. AT: Olivia Engler 7IP 9K 1BB and Alyssa Derby. W — Coen. L – Engler. HR — CR: Nevaeh Randall. 3B — None. 2B — CR: Halle Evans. RBI — CR: Randall (2), Emma Hanson, Morgan Driskell, Sara Keeler. AT: Caroline Pellett (2), McKenzie Waters (1).