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Facing a string of 12 consecutive games against ranked opponents Regina had an opportunity to see how it stacked up against top-level competition before the start of the postseason.

A little more than halfway through its gauntlet of top-15 team the Regals have already proved they can compete with anyone.

Regina posted its second win of the week over a ranked team on Thursday with a 2-0 shutout of Class 2A No. 15 Northeast (14-10, 7-7) in a River Valley Conference cross-divisional matchup in Iowa City.

The win was the fourth in five games for the Regina (13-6, 10-2) and came after a sweep of 3A ninth-ranked West Liberty last week and a 10-2 win over 3A No. 9 Solon on Monday.

Regina is scheduled to face three top-10 teams from larger classes at the Clear Creek Amana Tournament on Friday and Saturday before travelling to 2A second-ranked Wilton (17-3, 11-0) on Monday for a doubleheader that will likely determine the RVC South Division champion.

“I think we’ve showed that any game we want to show up to we can win,” Regina senior Annie Gahan said. “It’s really exciting to know that about us.”

Regina continued to reap the benefit of its challenging schedule on Thursday.

The Regals made a pair of third-inning runs stand up as junior Emma Nibaur spun a five-hit shutout.

Regina scored the lone runs of the game with two outs in the third inning.

Nibaur doubled and scored on a two-out single to center field by Emma Sueppel.

After a walk to Annie Gahan Baylee O’Connor doubled to left to score Sueppel and give the Regals all the runs they would need.

Nibaur struck out four and walked just one while posting the shutout and also went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Sueppel was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored and O’Connor drove in a run.

“It’s always fun because we know it’s going to be good competition,” Gahan said. “Playing those 5A schools or these ranked teams we know it’s going to be great competition and we are going to see good pitchers. In the moment you don’t realize it but it helps us for the end of the season a lot.”

Northeast                   000  000  0  –  0  5  2

Regina                       002  000  0  –  2  4  2

W – Emma Nibaur                 L – Danica Eberhart

2B – ICR: Emma Nibaur, Baylee O’Connor

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