ALBIA — Liz Anderson had a triple and two RBI and Kylee Coughlin scattered six hits over six shutout innings as the Albia softball team opened Class 2A regional play with a 10-0 win over Van Buren on Thursday.

With the win, the Lady Dees (28-4) move on to host Central Lee on Saturday. Central Lee knocked off West Burlington 3-1 on Thursday night.

“We did what we had to do tonight,” said Albia coach Mitch Chance. “We executed in all six innings and that’s important in the first game at regionals. We’ve been putting the ball in play a lot and giving ourselves a chance to win.”

Albia posted four runs in the second inning and six in the sixth to put the game out of reach as the Lady Dees blasted out 15 hits while Coughlin allowed just two and didn’t walk a batter. Coughlin fanned six Van Buren batters and helped herself out with three hits at the plate in the contest, while Sheila Sanders and Brittany Moore each had a double.

The Lady Dees shared the wealth at the plate, as Coughlin, Emmy Whistler, Sanders, Moore, Alicia Bettis and Katie Curran each had one RBI for Albia.

Albia 10, Van Buren 0

Alb 040 006 — 10 15 1

VB 000 000 — 0 2 1

Albia battery — Kylee Coughlin (W) (6IP, 6H, 0R, 0ER, 6K, 0BB), Emmy Whistler catching.

2B — Sheila Sanders, Brittany Moore.

3B — Liz Anderson.

Hits — Anderson 1-for-4, Coughlin 3-for-4, Whistler 2-for-4, Sanders 2-for-4, Moore 2-for-4, Alicia Bettis 1-for-2, Katie Curran 1-for-3.

RBI — Anderson 2, Coughlin, Whistler, Sanders, Moore, Bettis, Curran. Runs — Anderson, Abby Rockwell, Shelby Wuebker 2, Sanders, Moore 2, Bettis 2, Curran.

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