If No. 9 Lisbon softball wants to return to the state tournament, it might have to win a game somewhere other than Bunting Field.
The Lions dropped a home game to No. 5 (1A) Wapsie Valley on Tuesday night, June 24, 5-3, and when the pairings came out three days later, Lisbon got the bad news.
They get to host a regional quarterfinal and semifinal, but likely could end up playing the regional final at No. 5 Durant.
“We have talked that there is a good chance we won’t host, and how will we respond to that,” Lisbon coach Abbey Shultz said after the Wapsie Valley game. “The girls have never seen that before, but I feel really good on the road. I feel optimistic.”
It certainly didn’t bother Lisbon sophomore Emma Pleasant.
“I feel like many teams have gone to state that haven’t hosted,” Pleasant said. “I think it is the wrong mindset.
“We’re going to go one game at a time. Not look that far into it.”
Lisbon (16-12) plays the winner of Northeast (13-13) and Iowa City Regina (6-14) on July 9 at Bunting Field. Win, and they’ll play at home again on July 11.
But the regional final on July 14 is played at the highest remaining ranked team. Of course, Lisbon could be helped if No. 5 Durant (17-10) gets upset by either Alburnett (23-9) or Grundy Center (15-9).
“I feel like our team has a fire under us,” Pleasant said. “If you want it bad enough, you’ll get there.”
Against the Warriors, the bats didn’t wake up until late. Wapsie Valley pitcher Taylor Buhr held the Lions to four hits over the first five innings, with none in the same inning.
Lisbon finally got on the scoreboard when Kyla Kahl hit an RBI single in the sixth. Eighth-grader Alexis Jensen had a two-run single in the seventh, but the Warriors switched pitchers and the Lisbon rally fizzled out.
“We were seeing the ball and we were hitting the ball hard,” Shultz said. “But we were popping it up versus hitting line drives.”
The rest of the early part of the week was spent staying in control of the Tri-Rivers East, where Lisbon is 13-4 (second-place Bellevue Marquette is 12-8).
On Monday, June 23, Lisbon beat No. 9 (1A) Edgewood-Colesburg, leaders of the Tri-Rivers West, 5-3, and then lost the nightcap, 10-7.
The Lions beat Central City 8-2 on Thursday, June 26, and the second game was rained out.
The week wrapped up with two days at the loaded Linn-Mar/Alburnett Tournament. Lisbon lost to No. 7 (5A) Pleasant Valley, 14-5, and to No. 9 (5A) Iowa City High, 11-0, on Friday.
On Saturday, the Lions lost to Alburnett, 8-2, but bounced back to win their final game, 12-3, over Mid-Prairie.