Day one of the 2021 Iowa State Softball Tournament is in the books. This year marks the 51st consecutive year that State is being held in Fort Dodge. Monday featured all of the Class 1A and 2A Quarterfinals and two of the four 3A Quarterfinals.

1A started Monday off from Rogers Park. The #1 seed in the 1A ranks, Newell-Fonda was pushed to the limit but advanced with a 2-0 over North Butler. Pitching, defense and “small ball” was the recipe for the Mustangs. They scored both runs on Sacrifice Bunts after getting runners on and moving them over with either aggressive base running or hitting behind them. Newell-Fonda was mistake free on defense and capitalized on two North Butler miscues. Mustang Pitcher Kierra Jungers was spectacular as she threw a complete game shutout allowing just two hits.

In the 4 vs 5 match up in 1A, SE Warren outlasted Sigourney to win 9-6. It was the highest scoring game in the 1A bracket on Monday. SE Warren will take on Newell-Fonda in the State Semifinals on Wednesday at 11:30 AM.

3 seed Lisbon routed 6 seed Clarksville , 10-0 in 5 innings. Lisbon got a no hitter from Pitcher Ryleigh Allgood. 2nd seed Wayne downed Remsen St. Mary’s 7-2. Wayne Pitcher Sterling Berndt struck out 11 and scattered 5 hits. Lisbon and Wayne will meet in the other 1A State Semifinal Wednesday at 1 PM. All of the top four seeds in 1A advanced as the “chalk held”.

In 2A, #1 Wilton dropped 8 seed Pella Christian 7-2. Wilton’s Charlotte Brown hit a solo homer to put them up 3-2 in the 2nd. Wilton would add 2 in the 5th and 2 in the 7th. They held Pella Christian scoreless after the 1st.

4 seed Earlham started strong putting up a 4 spot in the 1st. They would hold off a run to get back in it by North Union and go on to win 7-4. Earlham will meet Wilton in the State Semifinals Wednesday at 1:30 PM.

In the other 2A State Semifinal it will be North Linn taking on Central Springs. North Linn got a 5-2 win over Iowa City Regina. The difference in that game was a 4 run 3rd inning from North Linn.

Central Springs was dominant in their 11-0 5 inning win over Underwood. The Panthers got on the board in the 1st when they got a two run double from Aurora Stepleton. They opened up on Underwood in the 2nd scoring 6 runs to break the game open. They added three more later in the game. Four different Panthers drove in two runs each. Pitcher Cooper Klaahsen was masterful she worked 5 innings giving up just two bloop base hits and struck out 8.

In 3A #1 Davenport Assumption looked the part, they dropped Clarke 11-1 in 6 innings. Assumption advances to Semifinals, where they will be looking to earn a bid to the State Finals for the 4th time in the last 5 seasons.

They will take on Atlantic who beat Anamosa 10-9 in what has been thus far, the best game of the tournament. “An instant classic”, Atlantic got a walk off single in the 11th from Jada Jensen to get the W.