Spirit Lake Iowa — Spirit Lake used a 4-run 4th inning to break open a tie ballgame as they downed Boyden Hull Rock Valley 6-2 in the Region semifinals Friday night in Spirit Lake. With the win the Indians will play Algona at Spirit Lake Monday night for a trip to the State Tournament. Algona upset top seed and 3rd ranked Humboldt 4-2 in the other semifinal.
Spirit Lake scored first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Stella Donkersloot walked and later scored on an rbi single off the bat of Jordyn Hamm.
The Nighthawks tied it in the top of the second as Brooke Zylstra double to lead off the inning. Brianna Kleinwolterink drove her in with a single to right field.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the fourth when Spirit Lake plated 4 runs to take a 5-1 lead with some station to station softball as Carli Jo Ahrenstorff, Karli Olson and Stella Donkersloot each singled in a run. Payton Ahrenstorff hit a sac fly to right field to close out the scoring for the inning.
The two teams traded runs in the 6th inning as Zylstyra walked for the Nighthawks and scored on a ground out by Emma Zoet to make it 5-2. Spirit Lake answered with a run in the bottom of the inning as Olson walked and scored on a sac fly by Payton Ahrenstorf to make the final 6-2.
Freshman Irish Knutson earned the win. She went 7 innings giving up 6 hits. She walked 3 and struck out 2. Junior Lizzy Blum took the loss. She went 6 innings scattering 7 hits. Blum walked 6 and struck out 3.
With the win Spirit Lake moves on to host the Region final on Monday night with a record of 22-6. The Nighthawks end the year at 22-9.
