More heartbreak for Cardinal softball

IOWA CITY — For the third year in a row, the Cardinal Comets were inches away from a major postseason win. For the third year in a row, that just means more frustration.

Cardinal had its shot to knock off top-ranked and defending state champion Iowa City Regina in the Class 2A Region 7 semifinals on Friday night, but for the second time in three years, the Regals walked off the Comets, this time by the final score of 3-2.

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Cardinal scored its only two runs of the game in the top of the third inning, as Emma Becker knocked in Ashlynn Patrick with a base hit and then scored herself on a Brinlee Ostrander RBI.

Cardinal held that 2-0 lead until the sixth, when Regina scored one run to cut the lead to 2-1. In the seventh, the Regals added two more, including a game-winning two-run walk-off double by senior catcher Courtney Kessler.

In 2021, Regina beat Cardinal in the regional final, staging a late rally to win on an 11th inning walk-off. The Comets lost 2-0 against Louisa-Muscatine in the 2022 regional final.

Becker finished 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored to lead the Comet offense. Ava Ferrell was 1-for-3 with a double, and Patrick finished with one hit and one run scored.

Nicoa McClure pitched a gem against the defending champs. She threw 115 pitches and gave up three runs (two earned) on nine hits, while striking out six.

Cardinal ended the season at 14-16. In the regional finals, Regina (26-8) will host the same Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont team (18-17) that upset Van Buren County in the quarterfinals.