Sioux Center Iowa — Boyden Hull Rock Valley staged a 5-run rally in the bottom of the 8th inning to down Sheldon 7-6 in a Class 3A Region 1 quarterfinal game at Sioux Center Wednesday night. With the win the Nighthawks advance to the Region semis on Friday night against Estherville Lincoln Central. The Midgets downed Okoboji 10-0 in the other lower bracket quarterfinal. We’ll bring you the broadcast from Estherville Friday night on KIWA FM 105.3. Pregame at 6:50 with first pitch at 7:00.
The Nighthawks took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Charli Bomgaars doubled to left field and Brooke Zylstra followed with an rbi single up the middle.
Both teams settled in for shut out ball until the top of the 6th inning when Sheldon took a 2-1 lead. Emma Barwick reached as Makenna Kleinhesselink was gunned down at the plate on an attempted squeeze play. Madison Van Meeteren reached on an infield single. Payton Lode was intentionally walked to load the bases. Both Barwick and Van Meeteren scored on a error on a ball put in play by Maliah Kleinhesselink. First the throw home for the force out went to the back stop and then the throw to the pitcher covering home was wide of the mark and the Orabs were in front 2-1.
The Nighthawks scored in the bottom of the 7th to send the game into extra innings tied at 2-2. Pinch hitter Emma Zoet singled and later scored on an error.
Sheldon took a 6-2 lead in the top of the 8th as Tori Elgersma started a two out rally with a triple to right center field. Keely Simonsen followed with an rbi single. Sam Noteboom singled and Claire Johnson delivered a 2-run single. The final run came as Johnson scored on a wild pitch.
A series of errors would help the Nighthawks score five runs in the bottom of the 8th. The key hits were a 2-run single to center by Avery Noble and a bunt single by Gabby Luevano that scored Emma Zoet from third with the game ending run.
Senior Lizzy Blum went 8 innings for the win. She gave up 6 hits and struck out 6 batters. Freshman Kourtney Dekker took the loss. In 8 innings she gave up 7 hits and struck out 9.
With the win BHRV is on to the Friday semifinal with a 12-2 record. Sheldon ends the year at 6-6.
