New London girls advance to regional final

NORTH MAHASKA - The New London softball team might be the cinderalla of the Class 1A field. The Tigers started postseason play at 6-6, but have won three-straight games, including two big upsets this weekend.

On Tuesday night, New London moved past Winfield-Mt. Union, 5-1, to upset one of the best teams in Southeast Iowa. On Friday night, the Tigers scored a comeback victory over North Mahaska, winning 3-2 in eight innings.

On Thursday, the Tigers pounded out eight hits against Winfield-Mt. Union ace Madie Anderson. marah Hartrick had two hits and drove in two runs, and Kara Krieger finished with two extra base hits, a double and a triple, and three runs scored.

The Tigers trailed North Mahaska 2-0 with two at-bats remaining in their regional semifinal on Friday night. Ashlyn McSorley hit a heroic two-run home run to tie the game in the sixth, and Hartrick drove in the game-winning run in the top of the eighth.

McSorley finished 1-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs to lead the offense. Hartrick went 0-for-2 with an RBI. Krieger was 2-for-4 with a double, and Sofie Reighard went 1-for-4.

After shutting down W-MU on Thursday, freshman pitcher Elly Manning had another big night on Friday. She gave up just two runs (one earned) on eight hits and two walks, while striking out three batters in another complete-game victory.

The Tigers will take on No. 4 Lynnville-Sully in the Class 1A Region 6 championship tonight (Monday). The Eagles will be coming off a wild 15-14 over Sigourney in their 12-inning regional semifinal on Friday.

The winner of tonight's contest will earn themselves a ticket to the state softball tournament in Fort Dodge.