VAN HORNE — The Solon Lady Spartans finished off their WaMaC slate last Thursday completing a rain delayed first game and second game in Van Horne versus Benton Community July 3. In yet another punch to the gut, Benton battled back from 7-4 fifth inning deficits in each game to hand Solon losses six and seven in an all-week losing skid, 8-7 and 12-7.
Game one ended on a walk-off hit by the Bobcats after a Solon error and an infield single and sacrifice. Eight Lady Spartans had hits with sophomore Addie Walter driving in a pair and Senior Izzy Frees getting two hits including a 5th inning home run.
Game two saw Benton carry their game one momentum to a 3-0 lead after an inning.
Solon would battle back in the third when sophomore Addie Walter led off with one of her three hits in the game. A two-out walk to sophomore Laeni Hinkle brought up Frees who doubled in a pair. Addie Miller followed with a single to score Frees and a dropped fly ball scored two more Solon runners giving them a 5-3 lead in the third.
Benton added a run in the bottom half of the third, before Solon responded in the fifth with a run scoring double from Emerson Miller and an RBI single from junior Dillon Ostrander putting Solon up 7-4. It was all Benton from there though as they scored seven runs in the fifth and another in the sixth making the final score 12-7.
Postseason begins tonight
Class 3A Region 3 postseason play begins Thursday, July 10, as Solon hosts Anamosa in a quarterfinal round game starting at 7:00 p.m.
Also in Region 3, Mount Vernon will take on Union Community with CPU hosting Hampton-Dumont and Clear Lake playing Forrest City in the bottom half of the bracket. Winners will meet Saturday, July 12, at 7:00 p.m. at Mount Vernon and CPU with the Regional Championship, and a spot in the 2025 3A State Tournament in Fort Dodge on the line, Tuesday, July 15 at the highest remaining ranked team’s site at 7:00 p.m.
Mount Vernon was ranked third in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s June 26 rankings with CPU in the No. 15 spot.
The 2025 State Tournament is set for Monday, July 21 – Friday, July 25, at Rogers Park in Fort Dodge.
Tickets for regionals and State must be purchased online at www.gobound.com/ia/ighsau/softball/2024-25/tickets.