Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The opening day of the state softball tournament is less than a week away.

Before the action gets rolling at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge next week the state qualifiers must be determined.

That will happen on Tuesday with regional final matchups being held in the three largest classes across the state.

Every team in action on Tuesday is fighting for a spot at the state tournament that is scheduled for July 22-26 in Fort Dodge.

Before first pitches are thrown on Tuesday we take a quick look at the regional finals featuring teams from the Your Prep Sports area.

Class 3A, Region 6

Center Point-Urbana (16-18) at Solon (17-24)

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Solon

Top players: Solon – Addie Miller, Jr., .402 BA, 6 HR, 34 RBI; Izzy Frees, Jr., .386 BA, 33 R, 11 2B, 18 RBI. Center Point-Urbana – Mya Hillers, Jr., .390 BA, 6 HR, 25 RBI; Ella Simon, Soph., .340 BA, 19 R, 20 RBI.

About the Spartans: The winner of Tuesday’s Region 6 title game will be the biggest surprise of the postseason as Center Point-Urbana and Solon have each put together impressive yet improbable postseason runs.

Solon lost four straight to end the regular season but has outscored Vinton-Shellsburg and No. 11 West Liberty by a combined score of 19-3 in back-to-back regional wins.

The Spartans had 16 hits in an 11-1 win over West Liberty on Saturday to return to the regional title game for the second consecutive season.

Solon is seeking its first trip to state since 2016.

Juniors Addie Miller and Izzy Frees lead a Solon lineup that seems to be hitting stride late in the season while freshman Keegan Kleppe (.270, 12 RBI) and Emerson Miller (.260, 16 RBI) have combined for seven hits in two postseason games.

About the Stormin’ Pointers: Center Point-Urbana pulled the upset of the Class 3A postseason with a 3-0 win over fourth-ranked Mount Vernon in the regional semifinal.

Junior Mya Hillers tossed a five-hit shutout with four strikeouts in the upset of Mount Vernon and has allowed 12 hits and zero earned runs in 14 postseason innings.

On the season Hillers is 9-6 with a 2.25 ERA and 1.21 WHIP and has struck out 87 in 127 2/3 innings.

Center Point-Urbana is making its first appearance in a regional title game since 2018 and is seeking its first state tournament trip since 2017.

The Stormin’ Pointers have won four in a row and have allowed a total of six runs in those four wins.

What to watch: Solon swept Center Point-Urbana in a doubleheader on June 19 in Center Point winning the opener 16-10 and taking the nightcap 4-1.

How much is there to take away from a regular season doubleheader from nearly a month ago?

Probably not much but one thing that certainly stands out is the pitching performance of Solon senior Kendall Jensen in game two.

Jensen struck out 10 and allowed just one unearned runs on four hits in the 4-1 Solon win in the nightcap.

The senior right-hander has been outstanding in the postseason allowing 13 hits and two earned runs while striking out eight in 14 postseason innings.

On the season Jensen is 7-9 with a 2.38 ERA and 1.23 WHIP striking out 61 in 103 innings and her performance on Tuesday will go a long way in determining if Solon returns to the state tournament.

Class 4A, Region 7

No. 10 Clear Creek Amana (25-12) at No. 9 Western Dubuque (29-9)

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Farley Community Park

Top players: Clear Creek Amana – Kyla Schulte, Soph., .439 BA, 4 HR, 56 RBI; Lizzie Pasbrig, Soph., .376 BA, 7 HR, 53 RBI. Western Dubuque – Hannah Hoefer, .368 BA, 6 HR, 33 RBI; Melanie Runde, Soph., .433 BA, 31 R, 26 RBI.

About the Clippers: Clear Creek Amana is making its third regional final appearance in the past four seasons and is seeking its first trip to state since 2021.

The Clippers were bounced from the postseason in the regional semifinals last season but returned to the title game this season with a 5-2 win over Charles City on Saturday.

Clear Creek Amana has won five of its last season games with the two losses coming to 5A teams City High and Cedar Rapids Prairie.

Clear Creek Amana is led by the sophomore duo of Lizzie Pasbrig (.376, 53 RBI) and Kyla Schulte (.439 BA, 56 RBI) while senior Reese Stockman is hitting .369 with 37 runs scored.

Sophomore Elizabeth Timmerman (11-5, 2.36 ERA), Schulte (2-5, 4.70 ERA) and junior McKenna Kelley (7-1, 4.30 ERA) have split the pitching duties for CCA this season all throwing at leas 53 innings.

About the Bobcats: Western Dubuque is seeking its second consecutive state tournament appearance and third in the past four seasons.

The Bobcats won the 4A title in 2021 and returned to the state tournament last season falling to Norwalk in the quarterfinals.

Western Dubuque lost its final three games of the regular season to 5A top-four ranked teams West Des Moines Valley and Waukee Northwest but rebounded with a 3-1 win over Waverly-Shell Rock in the Region 7 semifinals on Saturday.

Eight of the nine losses for Western Dubuque this season have come to 5A competition with six of those losses coming to ranked opponents.

Senior Kiya Steger is the likely starter in the circle for Western Dubuque and owns a 15-2 record and 1.47 ERA with 121 strikeouts in a team-leading 114 1/3 innings.

What to watch: The postseason usually means lower scoring games and for Clear Creek Amana lower scoring has usually meant wins.

The magic number for Clipper pitchers this season has been three runs.

Clear Creek Amana is 17-1 this season when allowing three runs or less and is 8-11 in games when it allows four runs or more.

In a winner-take-all regional final that features strong pitching staffs on both sides runs will likely be at a premium on Tuesday.

That bodes well for Clear Creek Amana which is comfortable playing small ball offense.

Class 5A, Region 6

No. 8 Liberty High (23-11) at No. 3 Muscatine (26-10)

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Muscatine High School

Top players: Liberty High – Lanie Meyer, Jr., .363 BA, 12 HR, 41 RBI; Ava Tague, Soph., .467 BA, 25 2B, 39 RBI. Muscatine – Mia Molina, Soph., .412 BA, 49 R, 23 RBI; Lucy Hoag, Sr., .430 BA, 7 HR, 50 RBI.

About the Lightning: Liberty High has reached the regional title game five times in seven varsity seasons but is still seeking its state tournament breakthrough.

The Lightning are 0-4 all-time in regional title games with three of those regional final losses coming by two runs or fewer.

This may just be the best Liberty High team yet as the Lightning return to the regional title game ranked eighth in Class 5A and seeking the first state tournament berth in program history.

Liberty High brings a six-game winning streak into the regional final after downing Davenport North 15-3 in the regional semifinal on Saturday.

The Lightning have gotten a boost in the circle from eighth grader Ellie Tague who is 11-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 106 1/3 innings.

Liberty High is one of the best offensive teams in 5A with a team batting average of .350 and seven players hitting at least .324.

Senior Mischa Reiners (.436, 38 RBI) and sophomore Ava Tague (.467, 39 RBI) lead the way while junior Lanie Meyer (.363, 41 RBI) has a team-high 12 home runs.

About the Muskies: Muscatine is seeking a third consecutive state tournament appearance and a fourth trip to Des Moines in the past five seasons.

The Muskies reached the 5A semifinals a year ago where they fell to Pleasant Valley.

Muscatine enters Tuesday’s regional title game on a six-game winning streak that includes four victories over ranked teams including a win over fourth-ranked Waukee Northwest.

The Muskies defeated Bettendorf 7-1 in the Region 6 semifinals on Saturday.

Of the 10 losses for Muscatine this season eight have come to ranked opponents including a pair of losses to second-ranked Pleasant Valley.

Sophomore Skylar Peterson is expected to get the start in the circle for the Muskies and is 19-6 on the season with a 2.58 ERA with 176 strikeouts in 168 innings.

Lucy Hoag (.430, 7 HR, 50 RBI) headlines a potent Muskie lineup that also includes sophomore Mia Molina (.412, 49 R) and senior Ysabel Lerma (.407, 24 RBI).

What to watch: These two teams are developing quite a postseason rivalry as Liberty High and Muscatine meet in the regional final for the third straight season.

Muscatine won 9-1 in 2022 and squeaked out a 2-0 win in the regional title game last season.

Liberty High has managed just two hits in each of the previous regional final meetings with Muscatine.

It goes without saying that Liberty High will likely need more than a pair of hits to reach the state tournament for the first time on Tuesday.

However, this appears to be the best Liberty High offensive team in program history.

The Lightning hammered 18 hits in a semifinal win over Davenport North with every starter collecting at least one hit.

The Liberty High lineup has speed and pop and has players capable of producing up and down the order something that could play a key role on Tuesday in what will likely be another close game.

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