Corning eliminates Viqueens in regional semifinals, 10-0

CORNING — The Stanton softball season came to an end Friday night when they lost 10-0 in five innings to Corning in the regional semifinals.

Corning scored three runs in three of their first four innings to take a commanding lead against the Viqueens (11-12 overall, 7-5 conference).

Lauren Stephens had the lone hit of the game for the Viqueens as she was 1-for-2.

The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Viqueens.
Corning went on to play Earlham in the regional final Monday night in Creston.

Stanton reached the 1A region 7 semifinals after defeating East Mills 6-2 in Thursday’s quarterfinals at Fremont-Mills High School.

Roey Sink pitched the complete game for Stanton, scattering two runs on three hits in a game Stanton controlled throughout.

“Solid defense won the game for us,” Sink said after the game.

Stanton led 4-0 before East Mills was able to push two runs across in the fourth inning. The Wolverines only runs of the game came via Jordan Jennings’ RBI triple and Kelsey Croghan fielder’s choice in the next at bat that scored Jennings.

“They earned it. They really hit the ball out there and they made some good cuts,”said Stanton Head Coach Jason Lura. “But our defense was on tonight and Roey locked it down too.”

Lura thought his team’s defense was the difference.

The Viqueens scored their first run of the game in the second inning when a passed ball scored Kimber Wagg from third. Wagg followed that up with a third inning sacrifice fly to score Carmen Subbert and make it a 2-0 game.

Stanton pushed its lead to 4-0 in the top half of the fourth when a Wolverines error allowed Heidi Vanderholm to score. Later in the frame, Subbert doubled in a run. Subbert was the team's leader in hits as she was 2-for-3 with a walk.

Stanton put the game out of reach in the seventh inning thanks to an error by East Mills and a Ellen Oster sacrifice bunt to score Stephens.

“It really helps to take advantage of those errors,” Lura said.

The Viqueens’ win against East Mills made up for their last encounter when the Wolverines won it 9-3. East Mills had entered the game with a little momentum after knocking off Fremont-Mills 12-2, last Monday in the regional opener.

Stanton 14, Nishnabotna 4, 5 innings

Stanton advanced to the quarterfinals with a 14-4, five inning victory against Nishnabotna in last Monday’s regional opening round.

The Viqueens scored a run in each of their first four innings but found the score knotted at 4-4 when Nishnabotna scored four runs in the fourth.

Stanton responded in the fifth with a 10-run rally to end the game after five innings.

Carmen Subbert led Stanton with three hits, two runs scored and two stolen bases.

Kimber Wagg was 2-for-4 and also knocked in three runs.

Roey Sink had the win for Stanton as she went all five innings for Stanton, allowing three earned runs on nine hits and striking out three.