Cardinal softball dumps Durant, moves on to regional final

ELDON — The 15th-ranked Cardinal softball team is going back to the Class 2A softball regional final for the second year in a row, and the Comets are playing razor sharp going into the big game.

Cardinal shut down Durant 3-0 in the Class 2A Region 7 semifinals on Friday night. It was the second-straight shut out win for the Comets this postseason.

It was a scoreless game through three innings. The Comets scored one in the fourth and two in the sixth.

Nicoa McClure dominated again in the circle. One game after a no-hitter in the regional quarterfinals, McClure three-hit the Wildcats in the semis.

McClure also led the offense, going 1-for-3 with the Comets’ only RBI of the game. Ava Ferrell went 1-for-3 with a double. Caitlyn Reber, Emma Becker and Kinsey Hissem all had hits as well.

No. 15 Cardinal (22-12) will play at No. 8 Louisa-Muscatine in the regional final on Monday at 7 p.m. The winner of that game will earn a ticket to the state tournament.