Heartbreak: Cardinal falls

IOWA CITY — The Cardinal softball team like the team of destiny heading into the seventh inning of Tuesday night’s Class 2A Region 7 final, but fate found a way to betray the Comets before the final out was reached.

Leading 4-1 into the would-be final inning, the Comets were unable to close the deal. No. 14 Iowa City Regina scored three runs in the seventh to send the game into extra innings, setting up a walk-off wild pitch in the 11th to send the Regals to the state tournament.

“Our girls played with a lot of heart,” said Cardinal head coach Sabrina Morrison. “They never stopped, and they never let up. I couldn't ask for anything better.”

Down three with its backs against the wall, Regina put the pressure on the Comets by putting a pair of runners on with nobody out. The Regals manufactured a couple of runs to cut the Cardinal advantage to 4-3 with one out and a runner on third, and risked it all with a one-out squeeze play to tie the game.

Regina’s Emma Sueppel got the bunt down on a squeeze play and picked up the game-tying RBI. The Comets were able to get her out trying to stretch for second base in the ensuing chaos, but the game was tied and momentum was on Regina’s side.

Cardinal ace Nicoa McClure settled back down and held the Regals scoreless over the first three extra innings, but the Comets couldn’t score in any of their four extra inning opportunities.

With one out and runners on second and third in the 11th, Cardinal catcher Brinlee Ostrander made a clutch play to foil a game-winning squeeze play attempt by tagging out the runner dashing home. One batter later, with two down, Regina freshman Gabby Sueppel sprinted home on a wild pitch to score the winning run.

"I wasn't really expecting it," Sueppel said. "Once I saw it, I was like, 'I've got to get home.’"

Cardinal fought off adversity early on. After surrendering a run in the bottom of the fourth, senior Alexia McClure led the fifth off with a double, and Caitlyn Reber knocked her home on her third hit of the ballgame to tie it up at 1-1.

One inning later, the Comets made their push. Cardinal loaded the bases with one out, getting three straight singles from Emma Becker, Kinsey Hissem and Ava Ferrell. Nicoa McClure scored one with a sacrifice fly, and with two outs, Madison Diveley had the biggest hit of the night with a two-RBI triple to right.

Cardinal’s 5-4 loss ended what was a magical four-game run. The Comets entered the tournament as the No. 6 seed and knocked off Mediapolis, No. 11 Wapello and No. 15 Van Buren County before eventually seeing the magic finally fade out.

“These girls really do believe in each other,” Morrison said after an emotional postgame huddle with her team. “They made it to the regional final, even though everyone told them they wouldn't make it.”