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it's the iowa farm bureau, iowa athletic union state high school championships in fort dodge. the logan-magnolia panthers against the cougars. hello, paul yeager alongside laura leonard on this fifth game of our coverage here today. and this one is a great one on a

good way to end this day of coverage. >> laura: oh, we've had some great games already, and this is a great nightcap. i think this one, it's going to be all about the pitchers. these two pitchers in this ballgame have been playing and

throwing very well. >> paul: and let's start first with logan-magnolia and megan wilson. >> she's a second baseman and hitting over 400. seven doubles and 6 triples on the season but they also has 34 stolen bases.

she is quick and can get down the line. in the tournament 0 for 3 but she's been on base a lot and she scored four runs. >> paul: it's a young crowd and young on the mound, and that's abby straight. >> laura: abby straight has been

dominant in the tournament. her go-to pitch is a rise ball and she's done such a great job with that. she only allowed two runs in the last games. 14 in the semi. that was one short to put them in the championship game.

logan-magnolia, the third straight year they have been here. and they want a championship. johnson is behind the plate. >> she does a great job. managing the pitcher, ashley sicard. they have played together since

the eighth grade and she's potent at the plate herself in the tournament. 2 of 8, and she needs to continue to keep going at the plate, knocking in runs. >> and sicard had a no hitter to get into the final. 1,000 strikeouts.

she's on fire. >> she is. and adding to that pitching performance, two home runs, four rbis and got her is thousandth career strikeout in the semifinal game as they celebrate to get to the final game.

>> paul: without further ado, let's go to randy to find out tonight's starters >> announcer: good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to rogers sports complex in fort dodge and the 2015 iowa tournament. our final game today is the

class 1a championship, featuring the cougars from agwsr. and the panthers from logan-magnolia. introducing the nonstarters for agwsr, mandy willems, haley bakker, abby robinson, carrinton hunt, miranda jimmersen, mariah jimmerson, taryan barrick,

sicard, haley. >> and for logan-magnolia, erin peschel, alexis christians, alex shook, katie diggins. shelby lary. shelby buffum. abby godden. assistant coaches blair kuhlman, taylor kuhl and stephanie

martindale. and leading off in right field, and second at third base deters. and pitcher ashley sicard. batting fourth designated player megan marlette. and batting sixth, the shortstop morgan kappel, batting seventh at first base, jodi johnson.

and batting eighth in center field, anna jaspers. batting ninth in left field, addi johnson. playing second base, abbie young. head coaches for agwsr, scott o'brien and brenda drake. introducing starting lineup for

leading off at shortstop, cylan straight, megawills, and pitcher batting fourth in left field, jenna peschel. batting fifth at third base, steffi cunard. batting sixth, designated player, joeona healey. batting seventh at first base,

abbie carlson. batting eighth in right field, bergan johnsen. batting ninth in center field, ken zie cunard. and head coach for logan-magnolia, trent kuhl. introducing the umpire staff for the class 1a championship game.

at first base, paul byrd. at third base, tom berger. and behind the plate joe havenhill. ladies and gentlemen, players and coaches, it's time for state championship softball! [cheers and applause] >> paul: all right.

let's take a look at the defense and how they are going to play. you see logan-magnolia, they are the home team. this is how they will line up tonight. abby straight on the mound, dani gochenour. abbie carlson, second megan

wilson, and from left to right in the outfield: peschel, cunard. and for the panthers the pitcher is abby straight. she is one we talked about in the open. she has a good arsenal and good stats as well.

25-3 through 173 innings. and her opponents are batting .142 against her. >> laura: look at the walk-to-strikeout ratio. she's a definite strikeout pitcher. and the go-to pitch and go-to out pitch is there.

>> paul: and that's how she'll try to get out this order of agwsr in their third straight state tournament. and this is the lineup as they try to win a championship. gochenour, sicard is batting third, the designated player is jami johnson, morgan kappel and

johnson. this is our last game. the sun is golden. the skies were threatening early, but you can see some blue sky there from our behind-home-plate cam. the shadows are going to almost cover the feel.

we are ready to go. the first about itch is a ball to groninga. she looks in. winds and fires. the ball upstairs. 2-0. >> laura: i think you will see a coogs lineup that will be very

patient, try to stay off the high ball and try to make her get it down in the zone. >> paul: she's 35-3 on the season as the first strike comes in. and agwsr comes in with a record of 28-8. the ball is chopped down the

middle. fielded, but too late. a hustling groninga is to the first base with a hit. >> laura: that ball was not going to roll and go foul. a good effort by straight. she slipped as she fields the ball and almost still makes the

play over at first. >> paul: the second batter is maddie deters, the senior. she's batting .530 on the season. both of these teams can swing the bats the. both of these teams can also put zeros on you when they are

pitching. that pitch is high and bunted. it's down. and the sacrifice goes from first to the second baseman. the 3-4. deters is retires. that will bring up ashley the last game she threw seven

no-hitters in her field. just this year she threw a no-hitter on thursday, and that wasn't even the most exciting thing for her. the pitch. >> laura: she gave you the order. what was the order?

>> paul: order of importance were two home runs. that's why i bring it up now because she's batting. second was the 1,000th strikeout, and third was getting into the title game, and fourth was the no-hitter. she looks at one upstairs.

2-0 on ashley sicard. >> laura: she certainly got good looks yesterday and there was no doubt about those balls that left the yard. as soon as she made contact with them, you knew they were gone. >> paul: the 2-0 is in there for a called strike.

she's a big girl. good swing. gets those arms extended and this can just go. she will play at d-mac next year. she hits it high in the air, deep to left, up and gone! on cue, ashley sicard gives the

cougars a 2-0 lead! about. >> laura: just like that, as you were talking about it, and the importance to her in the game yesterday was two home runs. she caught up to one of those rise balls and lifted it out into left center field.

never a doubt about that one. got the extension, and you can see the expression of abby straight as she looks up in the air. she knows she made a mistake. well, they pitched to her. you have to give her credit. we haven't seen an intentional

walk in the games today. there's been a couple this week. but i like the pitching. >> laura: yeah, and, you know, i'll tell you what, they had first base open so they could have easily, easily walked her. a great move by home plate umpire, joe, to give her a

little time because that foul ball came right off of her face mask, and allowing her to shake the cob webs out. >> paul: marlette, the designated player. the0-2 is low. >> laura: you want to keep the inning going now.

you aren't looking to drive the ball out of the ballpark. you just want to start stringing hits together and see if you can put a big inning together. we saw that in the 5a game. that's exactly what waukee did, jump on johnston early, and kind of threw their punch.

and i think it staggered johnston. >> paul: five in the top of the first and went on to win 6-4. the winning run was at the plate. haley towers popped out. ball 3 dribbled into the plate. they tried to see how aggressive

marlette is, and she keeps her patience and keeps her poise. full count now battling back. popped up on the infield toward right. there is megan wilson, she squeezes, and the out. >> laura: you are going to see a lot of pop-ups and a lot of fly

balls, especially since abby straight likes to go with that rise ball. you will see a lot of fly ball outs. >> paul: dan john's-- dani johnson bats. you see her numbers. .281 batting average on the

liner toward short. gets underneath the glove. bales out her sister. she gets help, and the cougars are retired in the first. but they score two on a home run by ashley sicard. and now the cougars will go to work on this defense.

they will send out sicard to the mound and jami johnson is the catcher. she will go behind the plate. at second young. and addi johnson in left, jaspers at center, and alana groninga is in right. we talk about sicard, pretty

good with the bat. she's not too bad as a pitcher either. >> laura: no, she really isn't. we saw a pretty good performance yesterday with her pick up that 1,000th strikeout in her career. a fitting end to the game where

she was able to get the last strikeout, and that was number 1,000. >> paul: e.r.a. of .81. opponents are batting .153 against her. she's 28-6 on the season. more than 200 innings pitched. here are your batters for

that's the order for the panthers. as you can see, we talked about the shade. now the whole infield is pretty much in the shade now. logan-magnolia has to do a couple of things to win tonight. >> laura: they need to trust

their defense. they have a good defense behind their pitcher. they didn't have an opportunity to show it in the last inning. they need to play hard and have fun and that's what coach kuhl said. play hard, have fun, and enjoy

the moment. >> paul: sicard winds and deals. that's a ball. logan-magnolia comes to bat. they are out of western iowa. north and west of missouri valley. just north and west of council bluffs.

a beautiful area. agwsr from northeast iowa, west of waterloo, northeast of ames. fort dodge is a good meeting spot for these two teams. >> laura: if you would pick a spot to play a regular season game, this will be the spot. prettysen trail located for them

to meet up. >> paul: this is the regular home diamond of the fort dodge high school dodgers and the other diamond for state tournament champion action is the home field of fort dodge st.edmunds. both teams at state this week.

the count goes full on kylan straight. chapped up. back to third. picks it up and throws it into right field is maddie. and straight is now at second standing. >> laura: very similar to the

way the game started for agwsr. the little pound the ball into the ground in front of the plate and see what happens. and the throw across the diamond from deters into the dirt and they couldn't corral it. >> paul: a hit and an error to put straight at second.

and megan wilson. another freshman. swings and fouls and puts it into the fence in front of the dugout of logan-magnolia. the panthers in their second trip to state. they came in 2006 and got fifth. this year they are in the

championship game. sicard deals. upstairs. can't lay off that high pitch. we saw that earlier today. the one in the eye, you just can't say no. >> laura: that's the situation you let the hitter have one

swing at it and then you sacrifice to try to move the runner to third. they would like to get the run in and cut the lead in half. any way you can move that runner around, you want to do it. >> paul: trent kuhl changed the sign.

wilson is probably swinging away swings and misses and strikesout. sicard's first strike-out of the ballgame. >> laura: that's why it is so important to really turn and concentrate and get the sacrifice down.

turn and give it up. here's a look at the strikeout. paints the outside corner, and with a little bit of heat to it. >> paul: sicard deals with a runner at second. chopped toward right, and the second baseman picks it up. abbie young.

she records the out. runner moves over to third. that's kylan straight. abby straight moves her sister. so it will be up to peschel to keep the inning going. >> laura: you got the ball to the right side of the field to move the runner along.

and you have to believe it's a sacrifice, would have gotten down. that ball hit to the right side would have plated a run because she probably would have been going on contact. that's how important sacrificing is.

>> paul: the 1-0. swung on and missed by peschel, the sophomore. so five freshmen in the starting lineup. two seniors, a sophomore and a junior for coach kuhl. the sophomore pulls it foul. it will be 1-2.

>> laura: they say that ashley sicard throws about 60 to 62miles an hour so you are going to have to be prepared and be on your toes, and then be ready for an off one because she brings it most of the time. >> paul: right on cue. she records her second out.

it's like you have done this before, laura. >> laura: it's my first time. >> paul: yeah, that's great! mark amadeo is the third member of our broadcast crew. let's bring him in. >> mark: thank you, paul and laura.

i have kneel, the former retired superintendent for agwsr. which two cities were you in charge of? >> well, i started out with wellsberg and senior rock and then we began negotiating the various contracts between ackley and geneva to get the two

distribution together. >> mark: what a week it's been for them and now they are playing for a title game. up 2-0, coach. >> absolutely. wonderful exhibition of athletic ability by the girls and so forth.

i would just like to say they have done an outstanding job throughout the year. >> mark: what about the fans? you sit up there with the fans and these are your former people that you used to kind of manage. >> well, our fans are very faithful, as evidenced by the

number of them of that turned out in each athletic event we have in our system. we've been lucky to be successful. not only softball, but the other sports as well. >> mark: kneel, thank you. >> you're very welcome.

>> mark: paul and laura. >> paul: the first pitch is in there for a ball. thank you, mark. the second one is in there for a strike. this is an experienced bunch for agwsr. that one is in there for a

>> laura: you look up and down this lineup for agwsr, and you've got several seniors that they are going to graduate. they are going to make a run at this title, this is probably going to be the year because they will have to reload next >> paul: six seniors that are

starters. the biggest one is the one that has made it 2-0, ashley sicard. the team was third in 2014, third in-- third in 2013 and third in 2014. so get to go the championship game is big for them. >> laura: when they won

yesterday, i think it was just they all breathed a sigh of relief. they finally got over the hump and able to get here to play on championship friday. >> paul: and logan-magnolia felt -- well, both teams felt there's no big dog in the tournament.

the number one team and defending champion is home watching this year. river valley knocked them off to get to state and river valley went down to logan-magnolia yesterday. this one is popped up and in behind.

not in the bleachers, but close. a new set of bleachers here from behind at fort dodge here at harlan rogers complex. as abby straight gets ready to deliver her eighth pitch of this at-bat. it's down low to kappel. she's on base with a walk.

>> laura: going back to talking about no big dog in the tournament, some of the higher-ranked teams were knocked off and didn't make their way to fort dodge, that's the beauty of the softball tournaments. when regionals start, everybody has a chance to make a run.

>> paul: the ball gets away. down to second is morgan kappel. jodi johnson now will be ahead in the count, 1 about all, 0 strikes. and really, laura, there weren't any top teams in any of the classes of number 1. just a couple of classes had

number one even in the tournament, let alone in the final. >> laura: you look at the final rankings and then you look to the pairings, and then when you got down to the final four in each class, you really didn't see a lot of the top-rated

teams. and that tells you how equal a lot of these schools are in all the different classes. >> paul: johnson gets the bunt down in front of the pitcher, who makes the play to first and moves over kappel to third. so now anna jaspers can lift it

in the air or to the right side, she has a chance to increase the cougar lead from 2-0. top of the second. shows bunt. popped it up. safety squeeze is on and they are going to have a run down. to third.

she has to throw it or she's not going to get it. she slipped under the bag! kappel got under the tag! i think that's one of those no, no, no, go, go, go moments! >> laura: right. >> paul: we will see it again to see how it unfolded.

>> laura: straight played it perfectly. she came in, didn't even look at third. faked like she was going to throw it. comes right back. and you run right at them. you want to run them back to the

base rather than run them forward. base and that was the only mistake right there. what a great slide around the tag by kappel. >> paul: and a good look at it from our high home camera that was able to show you how she did

slide right under the tag. we have a medical time-out for the catcher, gochenour. >> laura: a great play all wait around on both sides. the only thing is the execution is not running them back to third base, kappel back to third base.

allowing her to head straight for home and they could not make the play and get the tag down. >> paul: gochenour visits the cage, comes back, and she's ready to go behind the plate. one out on the fielder's choice, but 3-0 on the scoreboard. for the number 9 hitter in the

lineup, addi johnson. >> laura: yesterday brenda drake was coaching at third base and today scott o'brien has the call at third. interesting. you wonder, well, you know, would of that been the same call if brenda drake were over there

or do they converse about this, do they have signals back and forth about how they are going to manage a ballgame? >> paul: lifted high into left toward jenna peschel. peschel puts it away for the second out of the inning. you wonder how they would

discuss that. this season scott o'brien got his 300th career win and brenda drake got her career 100th win. that ball is in the dirt. great stop by gochenour behind the plate on alana groninga. you see anna jaspers still at

first with two outs. and the pitch. low. >> laura: i think straight is maybe having a little trouble with moisture on her hands. she keeps rubbing her hand on her pants and reaches back. she has a little towel there.

but you see her really working trying to get the moisture off. i don't know if they they have a rosin bag in the dugout, but she needs some help. >> paul: i'm not playing, but you grab your hand and they feel a bit sticky. if you are moving around hike

they are, you know your pants only have so much dry area before they aren't going to be able to dry your hand off. she does have a towel on her right side. there you see she's grabbing for it. >> laura: it's just hard, and

the humidity hike this, to try to keep things dry. >> paul: the throw to second to try to get jaspers, and it goes into center field! there wasn't much communication. >> laura: it was a walk. >> paul: it was ball four. >> laura: you can see ball four

right there. didn't need to make that throw because she was going to be at second base anyway. >> paul: knowing the situation is key. because right now you don't really care about the runner at you just need to get that out at

first or if it's closer, take the out at second. delayed throw. they are going to go into the run down. i think they will concede the run to second, and they will let groninga take the force-out. jaspers to third.

groninga at second. maddie deters at the plate. she's ahead in the count, 1-0. >> laura: deters is the big batter in this inning because if you allow her to get on, right behind her is ashley sicard. >> paul: that gets away. not getting the tag down.

it's straight. and scoring is anna jaspers. that's going to warrant a walk to the mound for trent kuhl, as we see how this play unfolds. no chance for gochenour. that rise ball is sailing now on straight, and i do think it has something to do with her grip

and trying to keep her hand dry. >> are you having trouble staying dry? >> yeah, i think so. >> how big is yours? >> not very big. >> bigger than that one. >> you got a rosin bag? >> i have one in my bag.

>> all right. just stick that in your back pocket. all right, let's go! >> if you need extra time, let me know. all right. here we go. >>.

>> paul: laura, you nailed it. problem with the perspiration. she said her whole forearm was wet. >> laura: it's got to go rolling down her forearm into her hand, and she can't seem to get it dry. and then when you can't get your

pitches to locate, then you start really thinking about it, and that is when it becomes a problem. then you overthrow. you try to do things too fine and that's when you get yourself in trouble. >> paul: deters works the count

to 3-0. at third is groninga. there's a strike from straight. they exchange towels. i'm not sure who did give up the towel in the center circle. they did ask for a rosin bag. drying off the hand has made a difference.

and if you can get a couple good pitches, it can build the confidence. >> laura: absolutely. and let her know she can get the pitches in there and she can get a good grip. >> paul: ground ball back to underhand toss to first, to

carlson, and the threat ends. but not before agwsr gets two more. there's a whole bunch of scoring in this contest. let's take a look at it right now to show you. in the first it was a home run from ashley sicard.

she goes deep to left center. beyond the bleachers there. it was 2-0 at that point. then in the second, started with a walk. then it was this play where there was a runner at third going home to score is going to be anna jaspers.

she gets under the tag and then a fast crawl. kappel scored first. now this is jaspers scoring. with that the cougars have been able to get four runs. there you look at the outside center field candy. you see the high press box there

and a new set of bleachers in between. the bleachers to the left and to the right. this is how these teams got new london knocked off their team to start this bracket back on monday. other the-1 win.

couldn't do much against that was a 10-1 win. and river valley got by them and agwsr knocked off river valley to get here 9-1. and logan-magnolia over new london 4-1. you go back to the game against marquette catholic from

beliveau. this is a ballgame. down 3-0 going into the seventh. they get six runs so they are leading 6-3. but then marquette scores two runs and has the winning run at the plate. couldn't get her home and the

game ended. and catholic was without their she had to report to the navel academy on saturday. >> laura: and i don't think you can tell the naval academy, hey, you have to play in a softball just give me a five-day pass. cap you give me a five-day leave

even before i enroll? good for her to go and represent and go to the naval academy. it will be a great experience for her. >> paul: agwsr is leading-0. ground ball to short. the out is made. straight throws to abbie

carlson. >> paul: you see a lot of them putting their hands by their head to shield the sun. it will be down soon. >> laura: earlier in the ballgame i think that was an issue for the first baseman. when the ball came from the left

side, they had to make sure they were getting a good look and zero in on the throw from the left side of the field. >> paul: you see the shadow is different there. you see the sun on the left side of your field and there they are looking straight in the sun.

a lot of sunglasses. the first baseman is in the shade now but the first base umpire is in the sun. so that's the hard thing. it's a beautiful time of day to play, and a little cooler, but, yes, the shadows. but these players are used to

playing in that. they play in this kind of day all year. >> this is usually game time for them around 7:00. so they are used to this. and whether it's cool at night orally hot and humid like it is tonight, there you see it.

they have played 40 games in this kind of weather. >> paul: that's iowa softball weather for you. would you rather play that or the spring ball when you are playing in march and april and may? >> laura: i'll tell you what, i

played both. and i remember playing in ballgame in the spring when i was playing at drake, it was so cold that by the end of the game you could not feel your feet. it was that cold but we had to play. you had to get the games in.

and i think that's the way it would be here if we had to play spring softball. >> paul: and you were the ones running around. imagine for those who weren't? >> laura: yeah. we didn't have many fans at the games.

>> paul: not to those games. >> laura: not to those games. >> paul: abbie carlson, the freshman first baseman, digs in. she's in the hole. the pitch is high and evens the count to a ball and a strike. logan-magnolia, out of the western iowa conference.

they were first conference champions this year. foul ball into the dugout. trent kuhl in his sixth year as head coach. the last time logan-magnolia was here was back in 2006 and they got fifth. he was a dad that year.

the second baseman and catcher were his daughters. sicard delivers upstairs. and now he's with those daughters again. all three daughters are his assistants. stef, who played at south dakota state, head coach at

northwestern. blair played four years at wayne state. swing and a miss. strike 3 for logan-magnolia. and taylor is a teacher. he has to send the girls back out on to the diamond. and abby straight, as she comes

back out to take the mound and maybe get some of that sweat off her hand. look at her in slow motion. >> laura: you can see the push-off and the good extension and the good flip of the wrist to get the spin on the rise ball.

you see the spin right there from the hitter's angle. >> paul: now her fingers, you can see how quickly her fingers pulled in. what is she trying to do there? is that a little extra english on it? >> again, not being a pitcher

but i think what that does is you get the spin going down and it's a drop ball, a lot of times when you get that reverse rotation as it comes in and the spin is going down toward. she's a rise ball pitcher, and i'm sure there are a lot of people watching that say, no,

you are wrong on that. but that's the way to show different spins and get the ball to move up or down. >> paul: i looked at that view today. sicard looks in and they are pitching to her again. she looks at the first pitch

inside for a ball. sicard, as we mentioned, going to d-mack. supposed to be an egg meant try school business. or in the ag business, she's a girl from the found. her mother was an athlete and went on to play volleyball at

waldorf of in forest city. 90-1 is in there for a strike-- the1-0. >> laura: she has a bright future. going to d-mac and playing year or two there, she's probably going to get some looks as they drills another one.

>> paul: knocks it to left, but not enough muscle this time. she's retired on a fly ball. yeah, her coach, her college coach is here. >> laura: coach longoria is here before the game. but you wonder, you know, that the the hard thing about a

player coming from a smaller school than a larger school. you can dominate, but you think ashley looks like she's going to be able to play at the next level and be successful. >> laura: i absolutely think so. and probably a year or two of extra seasoning, so to speak.

i think she will get some calls from bigger schools after that first or second year. >> paul: looks like it is going to draw, and it does for megawhole. top of the third, 4-0 is our score. >> like we've seen throughout

the day today, a lot of hits like that. they were just getting over the infield and dropping in front of the outfielders. seems like we've had a lot of those bloopers falling in. >> maybe we will use that for a ground ball later.

sorry. >> maybe if we get the really high pop-up we will call it a can of corn. >> paul: we've gotten off the clichã‰s since the first game. the 1-1. lifted high in the air, deep to left, up, up and a i way!

home run, jami johnson! two more. cougars are going to score! >> laura: we talked about jami johnson in the opening and what a good job she does behind the plate managing that game. i'll tell you what, she managed that right out of the ballpark

and as another two to their total. >> no wind to help that, but she didn't need it. down low in the zone. she knew as soon as it cuts. >> i think you see could the body language and everything in the infield few it.

>> paul: that one may have gone father. >> it might have. >> now it will up to. the pitch from straight. ground ball. fielded by kylan straight, but it just kind of eats her up. and that will be the second

error of the game for the this is a team that works the 21-out drill where the coach hits it into play and they have to 21 outs. >> laura: it's a great drill because it really makes you concentrate on catching fly balls and defense.

right now struggling in the field a little bit. the balls are in the dirt. they are having a little trouble keeping them in front. kappel moves to second base. >> paul: i don't see a rosin bag throughout for straight but she is still trying to get the hand

>> laura: i thought i heard in the huddle someone had one. but i don't see one out unless she tried to dry off and use that in the dugout. >> paul: 6-0. now straight has gone 3-0 on jodi johnson. her sister just had the home

run. that was low and she'll be on two on, one out here still in the third. it's not the way logan-magnolia had it drawn up. >> laura: it's never the way you have it drawn up when you get down 6-0.

you come into the ballgames with the confidence and the notion that you are going to win this game and they have run into a buzz saw right here right from the beginning with the home run from ashley sicard to start the ballgame to give them that two-run lead and then they get

two more in the second and have two more in the third and are threatening for more. >> paul: i'm trying too see what is written on anna jaspers. on the right side it says no fear or "over fear." little messages here and there that they have.

inspirational messages. >> laura: every team has some little things that they do, team unity, team bonding type of thing. we saw a game earlier where the team, and we've had so many games i can't remember now who had the bucket that they painted

and they sat on those buckets in the dugout, and that was their team bonding and their-- what they did to get everybody to get together. >> paul: it says "faith over fear." that's what was on the left. and logan-magnolia is the team

that likes to dance. they did music videos on wednesday to kind of keep loose. >> laura: that's right. they said they had a little dance-off. >> paul: ground ball up the mission. that will plate one, maybe two.

they will hold. coach o'brien is going to hold johnson at third. kappel is going to score on the hit up the middle by an john's. now another base hit and another run for agwsr. it's now 7-0. right up the middle there.

that ground ball didn't need eyes. it was on the line. >> laura: it was right back up the middle. there's a big gap in the middle of the diamond, as wilson kind of shades over to the right side a little bit more.

doesn't crunch it into the she shoots over to the right side. there's a big gap right around second base. >> paul: straight delivers. ball gets away from gochenour there. she chases it down as it squirts

away. the bases loaded here in the the 2-0. in there for a strike. >> laura: in this situation you have to be patient at the plate because you have the bases loaded. you want to make that pitcher

work. make her throw you strikes. >> paul: popped up right side and out of play. nice crowd still on hand here for this one. in softball the smaller schools do very well. >> laura: they really do.

it's a community pride that you want to go and support your school, and i think that's why we get the big crowds for the 1as, 2as and 3as. >> paul: johnson will stay at that will load the count to 3-2. it's been a good week of attendance here.

state softball has been in fort dodge since 1970. and yesterday the 800,000th fan passed through the turnstiles here. another one in the dirt and that's ball four. >> laura: a good, patient at-bat for groninga.

just wait it out. abby straight, we've seen her struggle all game long with perspiration. >> paul: and that's the fourth we have a huddle. more of a perspiration time-out. the humidity is really high, still in the 80s.

>>no pressure now. have fun! they are going to take you outside. you need to be ready. they got that 2-0 count and they threw it outside. all right? >> paul: coaches don't need

paper charts. they have good memories. they know what was done. coach scott o'brien there saying lay off that one on the outside. the first one is in the dirt to maddie deters, and where this is the ninth batter to come to bat for agwsr and there's only one

out. ground ball, short. tossed to third to get one out. the run does score. that's anna jaspers. >> laura: the infielders playing they were going to take to make the play at the plate and cut down that runner to stop them

from scoring another run. but they opted to get an out and that was the right play. the closest play to be able to get an out and try to get out of this inning. >> paul: brings in ashley 1 for 2 today, a homerun and some rbis.

they have a base observe but they are still going to go after she started with a fly ball to left. what can she do now? swings through it. well, they will challenge it and you have to give them credit for that.

they saw what she did in the first inning. >> paul: the 2-1. low and outside. >> laura: it might be the uninnings natural innings natural walk. they all take away from her. you heard the coach tell her

>> paul: the 3-1. a little bit low. two home runs yesterday. pun today. we aren't going to have a courtesy runner for sicard. she actually need one because she was at home base. the bases are loaded again.

and the runner is -- >> mandy willems. >> paul: right. number 2. batting is megan marlette. that hit her. marlette is hit by pitch. so-- she's got her on the shoestring.

>> laura: bounced in front and just over the top and got her right on top of shoes. >> paul: umpiring with your ears. and coach kuhl is going to make his way out with the towel. . >> laura: they will final by get

the rozen bag for her and bring it out and see if that can dry her hands off a little bit. >> paul: six runs have scored in this inning alone. bases are loaded. jami johnson, her first run up this inning was a two-run homer. first pitch is low.

gets away. here it comes. maddie deters scores and it's now 11-0. marlette is at second and willems to third. >> laura: again, you hate to belabor the point, but straight is just having a hard time

gripping the ball. >> paul: ground ball hit to it's going to get through! one run will score! willems will score. marlette will stay at third. >> laura: now there's a seeing-eye single. it got through the infield.

pounded into the front of the home plate and it shoots through. >> paul: jami johnson gets the hit and then she will allow mariah jimmerson to be the courtesy runner. kappel scored every time she's been up.

lifted high into left. it's playable. in come the left fielder, jenna peschel, to make the out, and the cougars are finally retired in the inning. a huge 7-run inning. so we are at 12-0 after three. mark amadeo what, does that

mean? >> that means we are it he run rules in high school at federation softball many if the home team is losing by 12 runs after the third or fourth inning, the game is over. or 10 after five. that's the fifth inning.

megan would have a bat at the bottom of the fourth or fifth. they have to get two runs here or the game is over. >> paul: they can just get one, right, to play on? >> it's 12-0. they have to get at least one run, yeah.

>> paul: an 8-run third. as we look at the camera from in center field. they have been up on the field all day in the sun. they had breeze to star the day and clouds and rain threatening to the east. but, man, it is just a gorgeous

night right now. orange sky. a little humid. 86degrees here underneath the home plate, which is where we are seated. you see ashley sicard take her warmup pitches. and i don't think, you know, no

one wants to get into a championship game and go down 12-0, but right now agwsr is going everything right. logan-magnolia now trying to cut into this lead. it's not impossible. it's a big hill to climb. but agwsr is three outs away

from a state championship. >> laura: and you have to have the mind-set, if you are logan-magnolia, just get a run. you want to extend this game to give yourself a chance and see if you can try to overcome the 12-run deficit. so you are thinking one run

right now. try to get yourself into a position where you can continue this game. >> paul: bergan johnsen swings and misses there and she's down in the count 0-2. two panthers haven't even batted yet, johnson and cunard.

johnson is up now. she looks at a pitch up and out of the zone. >> laura: we talked about sick and jami johnson working together their entire career since the eighth grade. they kind of know each other inside and out, know what each

other is thinking and that's what you want in a battery, and that's what they are thinking right now is let's shut the door and get out of here with a win and a title. >> paul: sicard's pitch is fouled down the right side. jami johnson is going to head to

ellsworth, and this is her final softball game. she's undecided on her major. but as you said, catcher for all five years. you do develop a kinship when you spend as much time together. five years on varsity. sicard has thrown seven

no-hitters in her career. and she strikes out bergan johnsen here for her fifth strike-out of the game. she threw a no-hitter to get into the final. she threw a no-hitter in the regional final. she's thrown five this season.

only two of them have been the full seven innings. she has given up a hit in this so she's dealing on a one-hitter. steffi cunard looks at ball one. >> laura: you can see how dominant she is. straight is lucky she was paying

attention because that was a rocket. she's going to be impressive in college, as well. she's been very impressive here throughout her high school career, but she's going to have the opportunity to do some big things, i think, in college.

>> paul: getting to talk to sicard the last couple of years here at the tournament. she's a fun girl. i asked her-- she didn't even know she was throwing a no-hitter yesterday. the ground ball. over and out goes cunard.

and now there is two away and one away for a state championship for agwsr. i said are you going to sleep much tonight? she said, no, the nerves, and i'm a night owl anyway. so now we are going to see if kylan straight can continue this

game because we have the international rule here if you are ahead 12-0 after three, and each team gets to bat three times with the team that now gets to bat three times, this game will be over. so we are one out away in the third on this 12-0 lead for

off-speed, up the middle, off the glove of sicard, up and over, she's out! and that's it! a state championship for the first time in school history! the cougars from agwsr are state champions! >> laura: well, quite a dominant

performance. a rocket right back up the sicard couldn't glove it. gets a piece of it, though. and they are able to throw the runner out, straight. and they are celebrating with a big pile right in the center circle.

>> paul: a 51-minute game. and am i reading this right? this may have just set a record for shortest game. i've seen the longest game in an extra-inning game this week, and the record was one hour and one minute. so this should be the shortest

game-- yeah, the shortest game, a twelve-run game and a state doesn't matter how you play it, the cougars are state champs. >> laura: and just dominating state champs here in this what a great performance. their bats really spoke well for them here today.

they came out with their hitting shoes on and set the tone early. >> paul: now we are going to have the all-tournament team. we aren't used to having the games in this quickly. we were kind of looking at each other. there was a 40-minute game is

what we are you no being told by the union. we may get a chance it talk to coach o'brien. we never had the chance to do but they will have the all-tournament team. >> present being the class 1a all-tournament medals is mike

dick, the executive director of the girls athletic union. the 2015 state 1a all-tournament team. from agwsr, jodi johnson. from logan-magnolia, kylan from agwsr maddie deters. from logan-magnolia, megan from agwsr, morgan kappel.

from new london, morgan krisner. from lindville-soley, madison rasmussen. from new london, brianna metler. from river valley, mckenna thomas. from logan-magnolia, abby and captain of the 2015 class 1a all-tournament team from agwsr,

ashley sicard! ? >> so on this, the 24th day of july, your state champion in class 1a, agwsr for the first time in school history, the cougars. second in their conference. but it's good enough to be best

in the state. there's a good look at your representatives from new london and lindville-sully and river thomas had a good opening-round now we will see the trophy presentation for these two >> each player will receive a commemorative softball presented

by iowa farm bureau, title sponsor of the girth athletic union. presenting the awards are the board of directors. congratulations to the runner-up in class 1a, coach trent kuhl and the magnolia-logan panthers on a 2015 softball season.

and your 2015 class 1a state softball champions head coaches, scott o'brien and brenda drake and the cougars from agwsr! >> paul: third no more. agwsr, state champions. third in the last two years. they hoist the team trophy for first place this year, laura.

>> laura: looked like they let the seniors go out and take the trophy and then everybody else ran to them. a great celebration out there in the center of the diamond and a dominating performance by agwsr. >> paul: a couple of home runs. one from jami johnson, and

another from ashley sicard. we crowned five champions today. agwsr here in 1a. it was iowa city regina in 2a, solon 3a, dallas center-grimes and 4a and waukee and 5a. a glorious day of softball here in fort dodge. from the entire crew of iowa

public television, who has been working hard to bring this to you, they will be back for state volleyball. we are back with sports in november. see you then! good night from fort dodge! provided by --

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