March 29, 2024

Akron-Westfield survives scare from Martensdale-St. Marys

FORT DODGE — Martensdale-St. Marys had an opportunity to derail Akron-Westfield’s perfect season here Thursday in a Class 1A semifinal game at Harlan Rogers Sports Complex.

But, the Blue Devils couldn’t get the big hit when they needed it most, with runners on first and second and two outs in a 3-2 ballgame.

Instead, Akron-Westfield pitcher Kayla Tindall recorded a strikeout to end the game, sending the Westerners into today’s state championship game with the 3-2 win.

“We put ourselves in that situation to win the game there at the end, and we’ve been in that situation a lot all year long,” Martensdale-St. Marys head coach Brian Sweet said. “Left quite a few runners on base and couldn’t come up with that key hit.”

After cutting the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning when Kaitlyn Schad scored from second base on a passed ball, the Blue Devils need to get out of a jam in the sixth inning to stay in the game.

The Westerners had the bases loaded in the top of the sixth inning with two outs and Tindall coming to the plate. Tindall was already 3-for-3 in the game.

Martensdale-St. Marys pitcher Riley Verwers struck Tindall out on four pitches, however, keeping the score 3-2.

“There in the sixth inning, they had bases loaded with their best hitter up and she (Verwers) went right at her and got some pitches,” Sweet said. “We hoped maybe that would transfer to the offensive side of it. But we played well. All the girls did.”

The Blue Devils went three up, three down in the bottom of the sixth, but got a rally started in the seventh inning.

Kylie Reindl led off with a single to right field, but after a strikeout, Reindl was thrown out at second base on a fielder’s choice.

That left Kylah Schumacher on first base with two outs and Schad up to bat. Schumacher stole second and then Schad took a hard pitch off the helmet.

But Tindall got out of the inning and ended the game with a strikeout.

After Akron-Westfield scored one in the top of the first inning, the Blue Devils got out of the inning with a double play. The Blue Devils answered back with a run of their own in the second inning, as Jamie Jordan scored on a passed ball.

But the Westerners answered right back in the top of the third inning on a Kortney Hedlund RBI groundout.

Akron-Westfield improved to 37-0 for the season, while Martensdale-St. Marys drops to 26-5.

The Blue Devils played AGWSR this morning in the Class 1A third place game.

Akron-Westfield 3, Martensdale-St. Marys 2

R H E

A-W 101 010 0 — 3 9 1

MSM 010 010 0 — 2 7 0

A-W: Kayla Tindall 0BB 2HBP 4K and Ann Hedlund. MSM: Riley Verwers 2BB 1HBP 3K and Vicki Kordick. W — Tindall. L— Verwers. HR — none. 3B — none. 2B — A-W: Tindall 1, Bailey Davis 1. MSM: Kaitlyn Schad 1. RBI — A-W: Kortney Hedlund 2, Desi Oltmanns 1. Multiple hitters — A-W: Tindall 3, Katie Johnson 2. MSM: Schad 2, Verwers 2.