Addi Starr never lost faith in her Ankeny Centennial softball teammates.
The other Jaguars never lost faith in Starr, either.
The freshman third baseman hit a tying two-run double in the fifth inning and later added an RBI single to lead 10th-ranked Centennial to a 4-2 victory over visiting Ankeny in a Class 5A regional semifinal on Monday. It was the first-ever postseason meeting between the crosstown rivals.
“I had faith in my team the whole time,” said Starr, who went 3-for-4 in the win.
Ankeny took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a home run by Marina Carter. Starr tied the game with her blast to center field in the fifth, then raced home on another double by Anna Christiansen for the go-ahead run.
Centennial shortstop Lauren Solis made two big defensive plays in the top of the sixth to preserve the lead. In the bottom of the frame, she reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and then scored an insurance run on Starr’s single.
“She’s great,” Solis said of Starr. “It’s great to have her by my side the whole time. She lifts everyone up.”
Sam Klug tossed a four-hitter and had 10 strikeouts as Centennial improved its record to 30-9. The Jaguars will play at No. 4 Indianola (34-4) in a regional final on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
“It’s good for our team to have this momentum going into (Tuesday),” Klug said.
Ankeny lost four of five meetings against Centennial this season. The Hawkettes finished with a 21-17 mark.
Check back later for much more on the game.
