By KELLY TERPSTRA, Courier sports writer
July 23, 2007 10:57 am
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OTTUMWA — Ali Downing wanted this one.
The seventh-ranked Ottumwa Bulldog softball squad is now one game away from its 24th state tournament appearance after a 3-1 victory over rival Oskaloosa on Saturday night.
Ottumwa (37-11) plays Burlington (35-9) at Huston Field at 7 p.m. tonight in the regional final. The winner goes to state.
The Class 4A, Region 5 semifinal between Osky and Ottumwa didn’t lack for energy or enthusiasm. The two squads have met for three consecutive years in the postseason.
For the Bulldogs, it’s just what the doctor ordered or more specifically, what the doctor didn’t have to do.
Downing — who pitched in the same scenario two seasons ago when the Bulldogs made state in ‘05 — broke her arm in the semifinal battle versus the Indians.
This time there was no break —literally — for the Indians.
Downing — a second-team all-state selection last season — allowed just two hits and one earned run in the third inning. She cruised from there and retired 11 batters in a row until the final inning.
“We just really wanted this game bad. I knew I had to focus down and just get ‘em,” said Downing, a senior. “Everybody was fired up and we were ready to go. We knew we had to go get them right off the bat.”
That they did.
Ottumwa’s offensive attack was led by Downing’s triplet sister Karie, who went 3-4 and knocked in Ottumwa’s first run.
“What a hitter Karie Downing is. We threw everything at her. We tried everything there was in the book with our two pitchers. She’s just a very disciplined hitter and a very fine ball player,” said Oskaloosa head coach Jay Harms.
Karie — a first-team all-state selection herself, talked about the satisfying win.
“We got people to hit when we needed to and I think we played an overall good game in the field too,” said Downing, who plays first base.
Downing wasn’t at all understated in what she wanted in the remaining last few weeks of her prep athletic career — a state berth and a trip to Fort Dodge.
“That would make my whole high school career,” said Downing, who leads Ottumwa in hits.
Karie’s RBI double that plated Katherine Person gave Ottumwa a 1-0 lead in the top of the third.
Osky responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI double by sophomore shortstop Megan Gott. Gott accumulated all of Osky’s hits and went 2-3.
Ottumwa put the game away in the ensuing fourth inning with three hits in the frame.
OHS junior designated hitter Whitney Reber’s high-bouncing single up the middle off Osky starter Emily Street plated Caitlin Davis to make it 2-1.
Harms pulled Street after the next batter up and brought in Osky’s all-time holder in strikeouts — Indian senior Kayla Slycord.
McKenzie Cason promptly greeted her with a rip-shot single up the middle to make it bases loaded, no outs.
Ottumwa senior outfielder Brittany Johnston’s RBI single to left field with one out made it 3-1 Ottumwa and the way Ali Downing was pitching, that’s all the Bulldogs needed.
“When they got ahead 3-1, Ali just took control. She just really went after us and that’s what I was really impressed with,” said Harms, who is in his 22nd year at Oskaloosa.
Harms threw a wrench in the Bulldogs’ plans by starting Street.
“We worked for Slycord. Without a question, it surprised us,” said Ottumwa Hall of Fame head coach Frank Huston.
To Osky’s credit, they came to play.
The 28-15 Indians had the bases loaded in the bottom of the second with one out. Downing ended the threat with two strikeouts.
Huston is well aware of the stakes at hand when Burlington rolls into town and how his talented senior class — all nine of them — will ultimately be judged after Monday’s big game.
“If you’re going to etch your name in softball history and the lore of softball in Ottumwa, you have to rattle the board up there and get to the state tournament,” said Huston, referring to the listed number of state tournament appearances that reside just underneath the scoreboard honored in Huston’s name.
Ottumwa 3, Oskaloosa 1
OTT 001 200 0 — 3 7 2
OSK 001 000 0 — 1 2 2
Ottumwa battery — Ali Downing (W, 20-6) (7IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 8K, 2BB), Jeanie Stice catching.
2B — Karie Downing.
Hits — K. Downing 3-4, Khyia Lewis 1-3, Whitney Reber 1-2, McKenzie Cason 1-3, Brittany Johnston 1-3.
RBI — K. Downing, Reber, Johnston. Runs — Caitlin Davis, Courtney Heller, Katherine Person.
Oskaloosa battery — Emily Street (L, 10-3) (3IP, 3H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB), Kayla Slycord (4IP, 4H, 3K), Amanda Christenson catching.
2B — Megan Gott.
Hits — Gott 2-3.
RBI — Gott. Runs — Trisha Van Dusseldorp.
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