Mistakes doom Ballard in quarterfinal loss to Assumption in Iowa state softball tournament

Costly mistakes doomed Ballard against Davenport Assumption in the Class 3A quarterfinals of the state softball tournament Wednesday.

The Bombers were hurt by six errors in a 12-2 loss to the Knights at the Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge.

"Unfortunately, just like with batting when one person gets a hit it rolls over to the next person and that was us with errors today," Ballard shortstop Ella Husak said. "We kind of fell apart."

After a Jocie Hobbs home run gave Ballard an early 2-1 lead, the Bombers gave up nine unanswered runs over the third and fourth innings.

"It was frustrating," Hobbs said. "The energy was going to us, but we were a little nervous. We needed to settle down."

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Assumption took advantage of three Ballard errors in the bottom of the third inning to score three times and take a 4-2 lead. Jessie Wardlow, Abby Odean and Sydney Roe all had an RBI single in the inning.

The Knights scored five more times in the fourth to put the game away. They had six hits in the inning and also took advantage of two more Ballard errors.

"Taking advantage of errors is something we've been doing well all year," Assumption pitcher Bella Nigey said. "We're getting extra-base hits and picking up extra bases on errors."

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Ballard outscored its three regional foes by a combined margin of 27-1 and it looked like the Bombers were going to carry that momentum over into the state quarterfinals after Hobbs' home run in the top of the third inning. Husak drew a two-out walk and then Hobbs rocked a shot that cleared the fence in left field.

"It was very exciting to be able to be there for my team," Hobbs said. "I was just looking to attack. She was coming first pitch on the batters before me, so I was ready."

Husak made a brilliant defensive play in the bottom of the fourth inning to try and keep her team in the game. Nigey hit a soft liner in the gap between short and second and Husak dove toward second and made the catch.

"It was nice because it was kind of a slow line drive so I had time to get over to it," Husak said. "I knew that Jocie was going to be behind me so if it missed my glove she'd be right there. But I just dove and put my glove where it was going to land and wished for the best."

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Ballard ended up with five hits on offense. Hobbs finished with two hits after adding an infield hit in the sixth, Sam Vetter also singled twice and Maggie Mortensen added a single.

Baumgardner gave up 12 hits and finished with four strikeouts and two walks going the distance as a losing pitcher. The Bombers will take a 16-21 record into Wednesday's 3A consolation round against Sioux Center (22-10).

Sioux Center fell to Williamsburg in Tuesday's other 3A quarterfinal game.

Husak said Ballard will try and regroup in the consolation bracket to end its state tournament experience on a high note. The Bombers didn't start a single senior against Assumption, going with six sophomores, two juniors and one eighth grader, so they feel good about their chances of returning to Fort Dodge in the future.

"It's just good to be here," Husak said. "We're still younger and just getting our nerves out now. Maybe as we get to our junior and senior years we'll be used to being on this field with this many people."

Nigey got the win against Ballard, striking out five batters and walking two in five innings to help Assumption take a 35-8 record into Wednesday's semifinals against Williamsburg (33-10). Every Knight starter got a hit offensively against the Bombers.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Mistakes doom Ballard in state softball loss to Assumption