SAMEER MALLA
Assumption trailed for most of its Class 3A semifinal clash against the top-seeded Benton on Wednesday at the Harlan Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge. However, a late-inning surge turned the tables around for the Knights, advancing to their second straight 3A title match.
Assumption scored seven runs in the top of the fifth and three in the sixth to erase a 2-0 deficit.
“I thought we did a good job of getting on base, working the pitch count early, and seeing a lot of pitches early from the Benton pitcher,” Assumption head coach Tyler Edwards said. “I knew that because we went thought our lineup twice, the third time, our players came through.”
The Knights (27-12) face the second-seeded Williamsburg Raiders (3-2) on Friday, at 2:30 p.m. in the 3A championship game. It's the fourth straight title game appearance for Assumption.
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“It’s a great feeling,” Assumption sophom*ore first baseman Kathryn Snyder said, of returning to the title game. "We had a lot of doubters, and a really young team, but I think we put in the work, and we really want the title.”
The Knights were scoreless through the first four innings, unable to score against senior Jessa DeMoss, trailing 2-0. The Assumption offense woke up in the fifth, plating seven runs to take the lead.
The comeback started when freshman Marissa Boynton doubled down the left field line, scoring Sophia Caudle from second base. Six batters and a half-dozen hits later – some of the extra-base variety – Assumption turned a deficit into an advantage and ballooned their lead to 7-2.
“We decided it was time to put a little pressure on Benton,” Edwards said of the seven-run inning. “We went back to our Assumption small ball of stealing and putting pressure on them. Next thing you know, we have seven runs on the board.”
Every Knights player earned a hit in Wednesday's win. Sophia Caudle, Charlotte Nigey and Kathryn Snyder all notched two RBI.
“I was just looking for singles and line drives, and we knew if we hit single after single to move the runners, we executed the game plan,” Snyder said.
“Kathryn Snyder stepped up and had a big game and got some big hits to get us back in the game,” Edwards said of Snyder, who went 2-for-5 with a double. “Kennedy Kane did a great job getting on-base and moving the girls. Everybody really executed across the board.”
Assumption added three more runs in the sixth inning. Addie Williamson hit a bloop single into shallow right field. Caudle, who was making her state semifinal debut as an eighth-grader, showed no nerves with a two-RBI single, extending the Knights’ lead to 10-2.
“We needed those insurance runs to protect our lead,” Edwards said. “Luckily, we got those (runs), so we were in good shape.”
However, the Bobcats were the number one seed for a reason – they fought back with five runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jessa DeMoss – who did not have her best stuff in the circle Wednesday – hit her second two-run homer of the night. She tattooed a blast to left field, trimming the deficit to 10-7.
“That definitely got the heart rate going,” Snyder said of the Bobcats comeback. “We all had trust in (pitcher Molly Roe) and in our teammates, and we had a five-run lead. After they got those runs, we knew we just needed to get the outs. We did, and we executed great.”
“Benton has two pretty good hitters in that lineup, and if you make a mistake, they take advantage of it,” Edwards said of the seventh inning rally by Benton. “DeMoss got us twice, but we had that cushion.”
Benton did not get any closer, as Molly Roe struck out the last two batters in the bottom of the seventh inning for a complete-game win.
The championship game is a rematch. Williamsburg defeated the Knights 4-0 in last summer's 3A final.
“We are different teams (now, compared to last season),” Edwards said of the matchup. “They are missing three key players from last season, and we are missing six key players, too. It is kind of, who rebuilt their team better. I think we have a great shot, as we have nothing to lose.”
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