The #2 (1A) Clarksville softball team punched their ticket back to the Class 1A State Tournament for the second time in the last three years in Monday’s Class 1A Region 2 Final, as aired on 99 The Wave. Paige Kampman drove in four runs, and the Indians got the bats rolling early for an 11-1 win in four innings over Iowa Star-North opponent Riceville.
Clarksville struck first with an RBI double by Kampman to go up 1-0. The Indians added three more with a two out rally in the second for a 4-0 advantage, with an RBI single by Claire Lodge and a two RBI single by Emmalee Manwarren. Clarksville put the game out of reach by plating seven runs in the third to go up 11-0. The Indians scored on an inside the park home run and two RBI single by Kampman, a two RBI single by Kara Bohlen, a RBI single by Jeni Johnson and a Wildcat error. The Wildcats ended the shutout with a run in the fourth, but stranded a needed second run at third, and the Indians ended the game early by the run margin rule to secure advancement. Kampman on the state berth and her approach at the plate.
“I feel great. I’m kind of speechless right now, but I’m really excited, I think all of us are too. We’ve put in so much hard work. I know last year didn’t go the way we wanted to, so we’ve just been working to get to state this year. Let’s see how deep we can go,” says Kampman. “I’m not really thinking. I’m just really happy to be out there this year, get all the reps that I can and make them great. Just trying to continue that in every at bat.”
Head Coach Katie Burman on the rematch.
“It was a relief for sure. We were talking, this is the game we’ve been waiting for ever since the regional final last year. We played them a few weeks ago, it was a close game, so I think that game really happened for a reason. We definitely did not overlook them at all, we came in and took care of business,” says Burman. “Our community really shows up for softball. Our social media they’re always commenting on there and making that a huge deal for us. We love our community. Clarksville is just really special.”
Sydney Lovrien allowed only one earned run with four strikeouts in four innings.
Clarksville (28-4) will be the #2-seed at state tournament and will take on #7-seed Newman Catholic in a first round game on Tuesday, July 22. All Indians state tournament games will air on 104.9 KLMJ or 99 The Wave.
Postgame Interviews:
Head Coach Katie Burman
Junior Paige Kampman
Senior Emmalee Manwarren
Junior Sydney Lovrien
Senior Claire Lodge
