FORT DODGE — There’s one place you won’t hear chatter about an undefeated season — the Clear Creek Amana dugout.
The Clippers are attempting to become the first undefeated team since Urbandale went 44-0 in 1977, but their focus is on a gold trophy — not the golden goose egg.
Top-ranked Clear Creek Amana took one more step closer to both, beating Charles City, 6-0, in a Class 3A quarterfinal last night in the state softball tournament at Rogers Sports Complex.
“To be honest, the undefeated thing doesn’t come up in any conversation,” …

FORT DODGE — Until further notice, Winterset still reigns.
Jenna Creger twirled a two-hitter, and the fourth-ranked Huskies shook off an early deficit to defeat No. 12 Mount Vernon, 5-1, in a Class 3A quarterfinal at the state softball tournament last night at the Rogers Sports Complex.
“It’s hard to win when you get out-hit eight to (two),” said Mount Vernon Coach Gary Stamp. “Sometimes you just get beat with the bat.”
The defending-champion Huskies (35-7) advance to face Clear Creek Amana in a semifinal at 4 p.m. Thursday. The top-rated Clippers (43-0) …

FORT DODGE — There’s one place where you won’t hear chatter about an undefeated season — the Clear Creek Amana dugout.
The Clippers are attempting to become the first undefeated team since Urbandale went 32-0 in 1977, but their focus is on a gold trophy and not the golden goose egg.
Top-ranked took one more step closer to both, beating Charles City, 6-0, in a Class 3A quarterfinal of the state softball tournament at Rogers Sports Complex.
“To be honest, the undefeated thing doesn’t come up in any conversation,” Clippers junior third baseman …

MARION — Somebody’s going to wear Cinderella’s slipper. It happens every prep baseball postseason.  So why not the Marion Indians?
“Yeah, it would be nice if it would fit us,” Marion Coach Steve Fish said. “This is the game you want to be in.”
That game is a Class 3A substate final Wednesday at Kennedy. Marion takes a less-than-auspicious 19-21 record against mighty Benton Community (34-6). The Bobcats won the Wamac Conference’s West Division by seven games (Marion was second) and are ranked third by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association. …

We’re getting ready to start here. Charles City will be home. Interestijng development. Clear Creek Amana coach Jim White has elected to throw Michaela Fligg instead of Moriah Morrissey, who is 25-0 with a 0.14 earned run average.
Morrissey is playing first, while Fligg takes the mound. That’s not necessarily good news for the Comets. Fligg is 16-0 with a 0.69 ERA.
1ST INNING – CCA goes down in order in the first. Fligg shows some nerves in the first, committing a one-out error then walking the next batter giving Charles City …

I’m experiencing my first IGHSAU state softball tournament this week. Taking in some games and covering the Clear Creek Amana vs. Charles City Class 3A quarterfinal game tonight.
The highlight, so far, has been the host park – Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge. From what I’ve seen they have 7 -8 youth baseball and softball fields, including a very nice baseball diamond that I’ve been told both high schools (Fort Dodge and Fort Dodge St. Edmond) play.
Four of the diamonds are replica diamonds, attempting to reproduce famous Major League Baseball …

Carlisle and Dubuque Wahlert are squaring off in quarterfinal round of the Class 3A state softball tournament at Harlan Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge. These two teams are a minority, wearing actual ball pants instead of the popular shorts.
Unfortunately, they are hard to watch. Carlisle sports the brightest yellow pants one can see. That shade of yellow really serves no purpose but to torture others.
Wahlert has white pants with blue pinstripes. Reminds me of my dad’s old 16-inch church league softball team uniforms for Immaculate Conception parish in Cedar …

Former IGHSAU executive secretary E. Wayne Cooley is sitting on press row.
Cooley is making his first appearance at state since he left office in 2002.

FORT DODGE — Todd Merical called for the changeup. He called for Abbey Wilmes.
Good call.
Wilmes quieted third-ranked Cedar Rapids Jefferson, limiting the J-Hawks to three hits as Johnston picked up its first win at the state softball tournament, 4-1, in a Class 4A quarterfinal Tuesday afternoon at the Rogers Sports Complex.
“I just found out (Monday) after practice,” said Wilmes, a freshman who shares mound duties with Tara McCulley.
“Coach said that my changeup would keep them off balance.”
Coach was right. Wilmes allowed only four baserunners.
Unranked Johnston (27-13), a first-round casualty in …

Tonight’s Class 2A substate prep baseball game between Solon and Pekin in  Wellman has been postponed due to wet grounds. The game will be made up Wednesday night at 7.