Panther girls clinch H10 title

After outscoring St. Albert 24-2 in two dominant wins Monday night, the Creston softball team’s celebration turned up a notch upon receiving some good news in the postgame huddle at Panther Field.

Clarinda had just split its doubleheader with Lewis Central, giving the Cardinals their third conference loss. With both Atlantic and Clarinda having three conference losses, that wrapped up the Hawkeye Ten championship for the Panthers (18-0 in league play) with only two conference games remaining.

Clarinda visits Creston in a doubleheader Thursday in what had been shaping up as a dramatic showdown for the title, which the Cardinals won last year with an 8-7 walkoff win over Creston in Clarinda.

Now, the league crown is already decided, but the Panthers (26-6 overall) still can complete an undefeated conference season with a sweep.

“Our girls really wanted to win the conference this year and they’ve accomplished that,” Creston coach Dave Hartman said. “They still would like to beat Clarinda and go undefeated in the conference if they can.”

Before that, the Panthers host Martensdale-St. Marys (14-12) in a non-conference game Wednesday night.

After a 2-1 weekend that included a 2-0 conference win at Shenandoah and a split in two games at Cedar Rapids, including a victory over Class 2A No. 2-ranked Louisa-Muscatine, the Panthers were dominant from start to finish Monday against the Saintes.

Creston rolled 9-0 in the opening game as winning pitcher Taryn Fredrickson helped the cause with a two-run home run. Fredrickson allowed one hit with five strikeouts and no walks in four innings. Evy Marlin and Sasha Wurster added RBI doubles.

Kennedy Strider pitched one inning of relief in the opener and pitched three innings to finish the 15-2 victory in game two. Fredrickson’s work was done after the Panthers bolted to a 12-0 lead in the first inning.

Creston sent 15 batters to the plate in the rally that included Avery Staver’s 12th home run of the season, and Jersey Foote’s eighth homer. Evy Marlin stroked two RBI doubles in the game and Foote ended with three RBIs. Wurster doubled and knocked in two runs.

After some lapses against Dubuque Hempstead on Saturday, the defense played sharp Monday night. Shortstop Mila Kuhns snared a liner and threw to Avery Staver at second to double up a runner in game two, ending St. Albert’s second inning uprising. Kuhns and Staver executed ground ball outs to finish off the fourth and final frame as the game ended on the 10-run fourth inning mercy rule.

Earlier, catcher Ava Adamson threw out the lone baserunner against Fredrickson on a steal attempt, with Avery Staver covering second for the tag.

“I didn’t think we played with a lot of enthusiasm on Saturday, even in the game we won,” Hartman said. “We got Sunday off and I thought our energy was really good tonight. That Narmi girl that threw for them in the first game is OK. She almost beat us when she was a freshman. We looked a little revitalized tonight.”

Senior night will be held next Tuesday night before a non-conference game against Saydel.

Creston 9, St. Albert 0

St. Albert pitching: Ella Narmi 3K 1BB. Creston pitching: Taryn Fredrickson 5K 0BB, Kennedy Strider (5) 0K 1BB. W — Fredrickson. L— Narmi. HR — Cr: Fredrickson. 2B — Cr: Evy Marlin, Sasha Wurster. RBI — Cr: Avery Staver 1, Fredrickson 1, Marlin 1, Wurster 1. Multiple hitters — Cr: Fredrickson 2.

Creston 15, St. Albert 2

St. Albert pitching: Grace Hughes 1K 2BB, McKayla Markel (2) 1K 1BB. Creston pitching: Taryn Fredrickson 2K 1BB, Kennedy Strider (2) 3K 1BB. W — Fredrickson. L— Hughes. HR — Cr: Jersey Foote, Avery Staver. 2B — Cr: Taryn Fredrickson, Avery Staver, Evy Marlin (2), Sasha Wurster. SA: Leighton Finnegan. RBI — Cr: Foote 3, Marlin 2, Wurster 2, A. Staver 2, Fredrickson 1. SA: Finnegan 1. Multiple hitters — Cr: A. Staver 3, Fredrickson 2, Marlin 2, Wurster 2.