Softball: Cardinal advances; Pekin rally falls short

ELDON ? Felisha Durflinger shut out Eddyville-Blakesburg over the final six innings and Cardinal easily took a 9-1 win to open Class 2A regional play Friday night.

Lindsay Moore launched two home runs and drove in five runs to pace the Comets (19-14) and move them into tonight?s showdown with fifth-ranked West Burlington. Cardinal scored two runs in the top of the first against the Rockets (13-15) and never trailed the rest of the way.

Durflinger, a senior playing her final games for Cardinal, didn?t walk a single batter in the game, gave up five hits and struck out seven to earn the win.

Cory Campbell finished 3-4 at the plate with a double and three runs scored while Liz Nichols was 3-4 with a double, triple and three RBIs.

Conference champion West Burlington, which advanced with a 9-3 win over Central Lee and awaits Cardinal in the regional semifinal scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight.

Cardinal vs. Eddyville-Blakesburg

Cardinal ? 2 0 0 0 3 0 4 ? 9 10 2

E-B ? 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 ? 1 5 2

CARDINAL ? La. Moore 1-3, BB, R; Greiner 0-4; Campbell 3-4, 2B, 3R; Li. Moore 2-3, BB, 2HR, 5RBI; 3R; Durflinger 1-4, RBI; Nichols 3-4, 2B, 3B, 2RBI, R; Aschenbrenner 0-3, BB; Ollom 0-4, RBI; Bennett 0-3, BB; Moses R

Pitching ? Durflinger (W) 7 INN, 5H, 0BB, 7K, 0ER

North Mahaska 10, Pekin 9

NEW SHARON ? A furious seventh-inning rally saved Pekin in the regional opener against WACO, but another late comeback attempt fell just short in round two.

The Panthers (17-15) scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh, but ended up one run shy of tying the game, and sixth-ranked North Mahaska (25-4) won a 10-9 contest Friday night.

On a full count with the bases loaded, North Mahaska reliever Haley LaRue recorded her first strikeout of the night to end the game. Starting pitcher Nicole Brand was chased by the Panthers in the fifth inning with her team leading 7-5.

Dominique Tolle had a big night in her last game as a Panther going 2-3 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored. Cheyann Lankford and Tori Davis also had multi-hit nights for Pekin.

Leslie Stone joined Lankford with a double but was the losing pitcher giving up 11 hits, walking seven and striking out three in seven innings.

Pekin vs. North Mahaska

N. Mahaska ? 2 2 2 0 1 2 1 ? 10 11 4

Pekin ? 3 0 2 0 0 0 4 ? 9 12 3

PEKIN ? Martin 1-5, RBI, R; Lankford 2-5, 2B, 2R; Tolle 2-3, 2BB, HR, 2RBI, 3R; Baker 1-5, RBI; Davis 2-3, BB, RBI, R; Jensen 1-4, BB, RBI; Spilman 1-5; Johnson 0-2, BB; Stone 1-4, 2B; Adam R; Millikin R; Molkenthin 1-1, RBI

Pitching ? Stone (L) 7 INN, 11H, 7BB, 3K, 5ER