Softball roundup: Columbus, Highland win opening playoff games

Cardinal ended its regular season on a high note on Monday night.

The No. 4 Comets picked up a pair of dominant wins over No. 15 ranked Central Lee, 13-1 in game one and 8-2 in the second.

Postseason play now awaits for Cardinal. The Comets will take on Grand View Christian in the opening round of the 2A region 5 playoffs.

Columbus (8-21) 8, West Branch (10-21) 4

Columbus picked up its first postseason victory of the season in a nail biting finish against West Branch.

The Wildcats led 4-2 after the third inning, but the Bears evened it up in the fourth with a pair of runs.

The two squads went scoreless over the next five innings and the game was decided in the 10th.

Columbus put together its most efficient inning of the night, scoring four runs to make it 8-4. The Wildcats shutdown the Bears in the bottom of the inning to win it.

Aracely Garza led Columbus with three hits and two RBIs in the win. Daniela Diaz, Lily Coil and Jessica Del Rio all had two hits with Coil and Del Rio notching RBIs as well.

Columbus will take on Louisa-Muscatine in round two.

Highland (18-8) 13, Keota (2-15) 1

Highland handled Keota in the two’s Class 1A region 8 bout on Monday night.

The Huskies scored eight runs in the first two innings and followed with five more in the next two to end it after four.

Sarah Burton and Adisyn Prottsman each had two hits for the Huskies. Prottsman also had three RBIs and Burton two.

Payton Brun finished with two hits as well as two RBIs. Mackenzie Davis had two hits with an RBI. Lilly Barre also had two hits and an RBI.

Courtney Chalupa and Mayia Singbeil had RBIs as well.

Highland will battled Calamus-Wheatland (21-15) in the second round.

Wapello (18-13) 6, Hillcrest Academy (12-14) 2

Hillcrest Academy’s season came to a close on Monday night with a loss to Wapello.

The Ravens and Arrows were tied 1-1 after the first inning, but Wapello went on to scored five runs over the next three innings.

Hillcrest Academy got one back in the top half of the fourth, but the Ravens were shutout the rest of the way out.

Claire Withrow, Malia Yoder and Delaney Shaw all had hits for Hillcrest Academy. Kylee Statler and Yoder both finished with an RBI.