Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

FORT DODGE – Sarah Lehman did everything in her power to put Regina in position to win a state title on Friday.

It was Lehman’s teammates that secured the Regals’ second Class 2A state title in the past three seasons.

Eighth-ranked Regina (30-11) scored four runs in the bottom of the 16th inning to rally past No. 9 Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 5-4 at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge in the longest state tournament game in 37 years.

“We did it as a team and that’s the most important part,” Lehman said. “Everyone was looking out for everyone else and everyone was hitting.”

Lehman set a state tournament single-game record with 22 strikeouts in her final prep game, finishing her career with an 8-1 record at state.

Emma Corkery scored the game-winning run on a Katie Bracken ground ball to complete a dramatic comeback that gave Regina its second championship in three consecutive trips to the 2A final after falling to Van Meter in the 2A title game.

“We definitely wanted some redemption,” Bracken said. “We tried to come in strong and we got the job done.”

 

It appeared the Rockets were going to render Lehman’s state record performance a footnote in a game that tied for the longest in state tournament history with three runs in the top of the 16th.

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont took a 2-1 lead on a Taryn Swartz RBI single and added two more runs to take what Lehman admitted seemed like an insurmountable 4-1 lead.

“I thought ‘oh my god I’m done playing this is my senior season it’s over and I didn’t get what I want’,” Lehman said.  “After we got two on I was like maybe if I just sit here in the same spot and keep thinking we can do it. I had to wipe my tears grab a bat and go.”

Lehman’s teammates made sure their senior pitcher got the ending she wanted.  

Five of the first six Regina batters had hits in the bottom of the 16th to quickly breath life into the Regina dugout.

“We just don’t quit, we just don’t quit,” Regina coach Jon Prottsman said. “We just keep hitting the ball and hitting the ball and the hits came.”

Maeve Dunne and Carrigan O’Connor started the game-winning rally with back-to-back singles.

Emily Bonnett and Corkery followed with RBI singles to cut the lead to 4-3 and Regina tied the game on an RBI double to right center by Jess Hunter.

“When Jess hit that double that was huge for us,” Corkery said. “That really pumped us up.”

Lehman lined out to center for the second out but Bracken bounced a ball to Swartz at third and beat the throw to first following a bobble allowing Corkery to score the title-clinching run.

“I just put my head down and ran,” Bracken said. “When I got to first I turned around and the whole team was running out of the dugout. It was pretty exciting.”

 

It was a fitting end for Lehman who was brilliant in her final game.

She had 19 strikeouts through eight innings, striking out at least two batters in each of the first eight innings.

Lehman struck out the side in the third fifth and eighth, allowing just an unearned run on five hits through eight innings.

“It was so up and down so crazy, I’ve never been through anything like that,” Lehman said. “It’s just one to remember.”

The rest of the game was a battle of wills between Lehman and Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont starter Randie Richmond who had her own stellar performance.

Regina left a runner in scoring position in the ninth, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 15th as the two teams combined to strand 31 runners.

“The 16 innings just kind of get jumbled up in your head,” Bracken said. “We’ve gone into extra innings before but nothing like 16 innings in a state championship game. Nothing can top this.”

Regina had five hits in the 16th after managing just 11 through its first 15 cracks at Richmond.

 

Corkery had four hits and an RBI and Hunter had three and drove in a run to lead Regina.

Dunne, Paisley Gardner and Carrigan O’Connor all had two hits for Regina.

“I’m just elated and the team has got to be so happy about what they have done,” Prottsman said. “I feel bad for EBF, they are a fantastic team and a fantastic coaching staff obviously and it was a great ball game.”

Lehman allowed four runs, two earned on 12 hits and seven walks in her final game.  

She concludes her career with a 17-1 record in postseason games and set the Class 2A record for most strikeouts in a tournament with 43.

“Sometimes I tell myself I am playing with one of the best athletes that has ever gone through Regina,” Corkery said of Lehman. “That is amazing and it’s even better to call her my friend.”

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont       100  000  000  000  000  3  –  4  12  3

Regina                                             010  000  000  000  000  4  –  5  16  3

W – Sarah Lehman                 L – Randie Richmond

2B – ICR: Jess Hunter. EBF: Claire Jager, Briana VerSteegh

3B – EBF: Taryn Swartz