STATE CENTER — Jillian Karsjen’s walk-off single drove in Rachel Randall with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, lifting the West Marshall softball team to a 3-2 victory over Newton on Wednesday night.

Randall hit a one-out single and advanced all the way to third on Ashtyn Blood’s sacrifice bunt before Karsjen came through with the game-winning hit.

Amelia Ranson’s two-run homer in the fourth inning gave the Trojans (21-9) a 2-1 lead before Newton (8-19) got the tying run in the top of the seventh. The Cardinals had the bases loaded but couldn’t take the lead.

Lillian Fischer was 2-for-3 to lead the Trojan bats. Blood and Riley Randall both singled, and pinch-runner Hattie McCollom scored on Ranson’s homer in the fourth.

Aubree Greenwood allowed two runs on seven hits, three walks and a hit batter while striking out four in the win.

Chloe Swank had three hits while Mack Sims was 2-for-3 with a double and a home run for Newton.

Spartan bats silenced by Don Bosco

GILBERTVILLE — The Grundy Center softball team was shut out for just the fourth time this season, falling 4-0 to Don Bosco on Wednesday.

The host Dons (18-12) scored twice in both the first and fifth innings and kept the visiting Spartans (16-10) off the scoreboard. Adalyn Steenblock threw a five-hit shutout, allowing one walk while striking out seven for the win.

Grundy Center was limited to four singles — one each for Maddy Hendershot, Macey Kiewiet, Camdyn Aronson and Lauren Zajac. Hendershot got the loss in the circle, allowing two earned runs on five hits and three walks, striking out four.

Trojans take care or Greene County for share of title

JEFFERSON — The West Marshall baseball team earned a share of the Heart of Iowa Conference by beating the team that helped to achieve it, blanking Greene County 9-0 on Wednesday night at Schilling Field.

Greene County (6-13, 4-11) edged Saydel, 9-6, in their last meeting to give the Trojans (20-9, 13-3) an opportunity to tie the Eagles (22-6, 13-3) for first place.

West Marshall scored in five of its seven at-bats to beat the Rams, buoyed by a combined three-hitter pitching performance by Vincent Clawson and Beckham DeSotel. Clawson allowed three hits and two walks over six innings for the win, striking out seven, and DeSotel got the final three outs.

DJ Ridout went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, and DeSotel was 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs to lead the West Marshall attack. AJ Dee doubled, was hit by pitches twice, drove in a run and scored once. Noah DeSotel doubled and drove in two, while Evan Siegert singled, drove in two and scored a run.

Greene County pitching issued five walks and five hit-by-pitches.

Lebo’s slam helps Spartans smack Don Bosco

GILBERTVILLE — The Class 2A No. 9 Grundy Center baseball team dismantled Class 1A No. 8 Don Bosco for a 19-1 triumph on Wednesday.

The Spartans (21-3) didn’t score in the first inning but got at least three runs in their next four at-bats against the host Dons (22-6).

Pete Lebo was 2-for-4 with a grand slam, three runs scored and six RBIs to lead Grundy Center to victory. Ryker Thoren was 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs and four RBIs, while Brody Zinkula was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Ethan Meester added two hits, two RBIs and two runs as well.

Judd Jirovsky pitched all five innings for the win, allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts. Don Bosco’s lone run came on a Kyler Sallis home run in the bottom of the fourth to make it 15-1 and prolong the game one more inning.

Rebels clip Cougars in NICL West finale

ACKLEY — The Gladbrook-Reinbeck baseball team closed out NICL West Division play with a 6-2 win over AGWSR in Wednesday’s game, snapping a four-game skid.

Brandon Mathern hit a solo home run and drove in another run with a sacrifice fly to lead the Rebels (9-17, 2-8). Trevor Mathern was 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Hudson Clark and Chad Gutknecht both singled and scored a run.

Bennett Sieh pitched 6 1/3 innings for the win, allowing one earned run on six hits and five walks while striking out four. Trevor Mathern got the final two outs for the save against the host Cougars (5-19, 0-10).

Comet softball secures Iowa Star South crown

CONRAD — The BCLUW softball team locked up the Iowa Star Conference’s South Division title with a 5-2 win over Collins-Maxwell in Tuesday’s showdown.

The Comets (19-6, 14-2) jumped out to a 5-1 lead after two innings and held off the Spartans (15-8, 12-4) the rest of the way.

Winning pitcher Klayre Gallentine also powered BCLUW at the plate, going 4-for-4 with an RBI, and her courtesy runner Leila Wedgwood scored once. Raegan Crawford was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, and Grace Farnsworth drove in a pair.

Gallentine scattered six hits over seven innings for the win, striking out seven.

Grundy Center softball thwarts H-D-C

GRUNDY CENTER — Eighth-grader Macey Kiewiet threw a four-hitter and the Grundy Center softball team won its Senior Night game over Hampton-Dumont-CAL, 4-1, on Tuesday night.

Kiewiet struck out 12 and walked only one for the win, and she contributed two hits and an RBI for the offense. Maddy Hendershot led the Spartans (16-9) going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Ava Heeren doubled and scored, while Trinity Jirovsky and Allison Koch both singled and plated a run.

Wolverines fall to Warhawks at University of Iowa

IOWA CITY — The GMG baseball team fell 9-4 to North Mahaska in Tuesday’s game at Duane Banks Field on the University of Iowa campus.

The Wolverines (7-14) got 11 hits, led by Joaquin Williams going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Colin Teske went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, and Jacob Cornwell was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Ethan Klemesrud had two hits and was the pitcher of record for GMG.

Redhawks edge BCLUW baseball in conference clash

TRAER — The North Tama baseball team overcame BCLUW’s fast start for a 6-4 win in Monday’s Iowa Star Conference South Division game.

BCLUW (10-6) led 3-0 after the first half inning and 4-1 after the top of the second, but the host Redhawks (12-8) scored in five of their six at-bats to get the lead.

North Tama got just three hits in the win, with Chaz Hall going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Kayler Morris was 1-for-3 with a run scored.

BCLUW committed three errors and issued six free passes to Redhawk batters.

Josh Dostal pitched 6 2/3 innings for the win, walking one and striking out two, but North Tama made six errors defensively. Kayler Morris got the final out for the save.

Will Feldpausch was 2-for-3 with a run scored to lead the BCLUW offense. Ryan Busch doubled in a run and scored, while Carson Wayman and Eathan Petermeier each hit a single.

Wayman took the loss on the mound, allowing four runs — one earned — on two hits and three total walks in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out five.

Mustangs maul Cougars in softball sweep

ACKLEY — The Class 2A No. 15 East Marshall softball team pounded out 35 hits over its doubleheader sweep of AGWSR (8-21, 3-6), winning 18-5 and 15-9 in Monday’s NICL West Division clash.

Seven of the Mustangs’ 17 hits in the first game went for extra bases in a game that ended in five innings. Peyton Grabenbauer was 4-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and four RBIs, while Gianna Boswell was 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two runs scored.

Delaney Ryan went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Ashtyn Wheater, Libby Atcher and Makayla Hala added two hits apiece.

Grabenbauer got the win in the circle, allowing five runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven. AGWSR’s Cali Buseman was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBIs.

The Mustangs (21-8, 7-2) put Game 2 away with six runs in the top of the seventh inning, turning a 9-8 lead into an eventual 15-9 victory. Boswell went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs and two RBIs, while Hala was 3-for-4 with a double and four runs scored.

Atcher was 2-for-4 with two triples, two runs and two RBIs, while Wheater, Grabenbauer and Bailey Grant had two hits apiece.

Taylor Halverson took the win for East Marshall, allowing eight runs over 5 1/3 innings, and Grabenbauer got the final five outs for the save.