Never a doubt.
After jumping out to an 8-0 lead after two innings, the Lisbon softball team held on tight to beat West Burlington Notre Dame in a Class 2A regional quarterfinal on Wednesday, July 8, at Bunting Field.
“I knew we could get the last out and I trusted everyone on the field,” eighth-grader Ayla Blanchard said of her thoughts when the tying and winning runs were on base for the Falcons in the top of the seventh inning. “I knew that win meant so much to our seniors, and I was going to do whatever I could to get them their next game.”
The Lions got that next game, but lost to No. 4 Louisa-Muscatine in a 2A regional semifinal on Friday, July 10, in Letts. The Falcons won, 10-0, scoring all 10 runs in the bottom of the third inning. The game ended after four innings. L-M pitcher Grace Hoopes pitched a 2-hitter with only one strikeout.
Lisbon ended the year 25-10. After qualifying for state for seven straight years, the Lions have now missed out the past two seasons, losing both times on the road in regional play.
But they’ll always have the win over West Burlington Notre Dame. The Lions came into that game on a 10-game winning streak to close the regular season
That momentum seemed to show up when Lisbon sent eight hitters to the plate in the first inning.
Shea Benhart led things off with a double. Then Blanchard had an RBI triple. Kamryn Kahl had an RBI single and then Alexa Roos reached on an error. Alexis Jensen and Kyla Kahl each added RBIs.
All in all, the Lions led 5-0 after one inning.
Then in the second inning, Benhart and Blanchard had one-out singles, then Kamryn Kahl hit courtesy runner Quinn Roos and Blanchard in with single. Then Alexa Roos hit an RBI singlg to make it 8-0.
And it looked like the Bunting Field concession stand might be closing early this night.
“It was really fun to see where out potential was, and the confidence we were showing,” Lisbon Coach Abbey Shultz said.
But WBND (14-18) wasn’t a pushover. The Falcons showed that by lacing three balls in the first inning that the Lions made three solid plays on, including a nice catch in center field by Jensen.
“I knew they were going to hit,” sophomore pitcher Kyla Kahl said. “I’m no strikeout pitcher. But I’ve been in situations like this before. It didn’t really bother me too much.”
The Falcons used two Lisbon errors to help them score three runs in the third, and made it 8-4 in the fifth on an RBI single by Madelyn Thomas.
Then came the seventh inning. Leadoff hitter Whitney Snowden reached on a one-out error, then Paig Kramer singled.
With two outs, Thomas hit an RBI double, followed by an RBI single by Tannisyn Christofferson.
Then Faith Gibb singled to put runners on second and first. That was the game-tying runner on second, and game-winning runner on first.
“I was not nervous, and I was hoping they were not nervous,” Shultz said.
They were not.
“I thought, I know we can get this last out,” Blanchard said. “I trust everybody on that field. There was never a doubt in my mind we were going to win that game.”
Kyla Kahl put her trust in her teammates.
“One pitch at a time,” she said. “I know my teammates will do their job.”
She closed the game by inducing a ground out to shortstop Kamryn Kahl.
After losing a 7-6 game to L-M back on May 30 in Letts, the Lions were confident they could win the rematch.
“We feel pretty good,” Kyla Kahl said. “We know Louisa will be a tough one.”
Louisa-Muscatine (28-6) was set to play No. 9 Regina (20-10) in a regional final Monday, July 13, for a spot at state.
Lisbon says goodbye to three seniors but should have a chance to advance next summer.