The Ankeny Centennial softball team needed to get off to a good start if it wanted to pull off an upset against top-ranked Waukee Northwest.
It didn’t happen.
The Wolves scored three runs in the first inning, added five more in the third and went on to beat No. 4 Centennial, 11-3, in five innings in the Class 5A semifinals on Wednesday at Harlan Rogers Park in Fort Dodge.
“They came out strong, and that’s a really good team in the other dugout,” said Centennial coach Brett Delaney. “They found a way to get a few runs in that first inning, and we knew runs were going to be tough to come by today (against Sophia Schlader). At the end of the day, we just didn’t get it done.”
Schlader tossed a four-hitter and had five strikeouts as the Wolves (39-5) advanced to Thursday’s championship game against No. 2 Linn-Mar (Marion) (35-6) at 7:30 p.m. The loss ended a 10-game winning streak for Centennial (33-10), which will play No. 7 Cedar Falls (31-10) in the third-place game at 6 p.m.
Jordyn Kennedy provided most of the highlights for the Jaguars. The junior slugger hit a solo homer in the fourth inning and a two-run single in the fifth that briefly extended the game.
By going 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs, Kennedy moved closer to wrapping up the Class 5A Triple Crown. She currently leads all large-school players with 21 home runs, 61 RBIs and a .557 batting average.
“Jordyn is a phenomenal talent, and we’re very fortunate that she’s a Jaguar,” Delaney said. “Everything she brings to our team is amazing. She took some big strides in that leadership category this year, and I noticed that right at the end of the game there. Throughout the year at the plate (she led us), but the vocal part of it is the challenge we put out to her and she took advantage (of it). I’m excited for her future.”
Unfortunately, Kennedy’s big day at the plate wasn’t nearly enough. Northwest’s Aunya Van Zetten was even more productive.
Van Zetten went 4-for-4 with a homer, two doubles and four RBIs. She had hits off all three Centennial pitchers.
“It didn’t really matter to us (who they pitched),” Van Zetten said. “We had an idea (of who would start), but at the end of the day you just see the ball and hit it.”
After the Jaguars went down in order in the top of the first inning, Northwest batted around in the bottom of the frame against Centennial starter Aubrey Scieszinski (14-4). Schlader led off with a walk and was replaced by Claire Martins, who then raced home when Van Zetten doubled to center field.
“We had fun during warmups and honestly, that just carried us throughout the game,” Van Zetten said.
Van Zetten went to third when Laurel Richards reached on an error, then beat the throw to the plate on a bunt by Maggie Allen. Hazel Leinen later added an RBI single.
“We had a lot of energy and we said, ‘Hey, keep it rolling,'” said Northwest coach Carrie Eby. “We had to keep it going because three (runs) is not enough against any team in the CIML.”
In the third, the Wolves bunched together five hits for a five-run outburst against Centennial reliever Peyten Spiegel. Meredith Thomsen and Leela Appledorn each singled, Alayna Schulte and Schlader followed with RBI doubles, and then Van Zetten capped the inning with a three-run homer to left field.
It was the eighth homer of the season for Van Zetten, whose blast went just inside the foul pole.
“We have the utmost respect for Ankeny Centennial,” Eby said. “Brett does a nice job of always getting them ready. They’ve always been in the top part of the CIML, and at any point anybody can open up the game.”
Schlader (29-1) went on to beat the Jaguars for the third time. The freshman had thrown a pair of shutouts earlier this season, but Kennedy put an end to her bid for another when she hit a one-out homer to right field in the fourth.
“Soph is very composed, and she brings the energy,” Eby said. “She’s not going to back down (against) any hitter–she’s like, ‘Let’s go at them.’ Bringing that the team is definitely behind her. It was just a collective team win.”
The Wolves extended the lead to 10-1 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Allen beat the throw to the plate after a wild pitch by Centennial reliever Kori Lincicum, who later allowed an RBI double by Schulte.
Centennial needed to score at least two runs in the fifth to prolong the game, and that’s exactly what the Jaguars did. Makenna Foster started the rally with a double and Gracie Anderson followed with a walk.
With two outs, Ava Faber was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Kennedy, who then blooped a single into shallow left-center field to drive in courtesy runner Hanna Thompson and Anderson.
“There’s a lot of fight in these girls, and they’re up here for a purpose,” Delaney said. “It was just one at a time, and they found a way to just keep chipping away and chipping away and give themselves a couple more innings. But at the end of the day, it just didn’t go our way.”
After Kennedy stole a base to put runners at second and third, the Jaguars had a chance to continue the rally. But Mady Ott, who had singled in the fourth after Kennedy’s homer, grounded out to short to end the inning.
“Our defense puts 100 percent of our trust in our pitchers, and I think that’s something that really holds us accountable against all other teams,” Van Zetten said.
The Wolves then walked it off shortly thereafter. They loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning before Thomsen bounced a one-out single up the middle to end the game.
While Northwest will try to win its second state title in four years, Centennial will be looking for some revenge in the third-place game. The Jaguars were swept by Cedar Falls in a doubleheader on June 13.
