By: Matt Scher, matts@977thebolt.com
Eagle Grove, IA – The Humboldt Wildcats softball team fell to Eagle Grove 11-10 in a heartbreaking loss in the 3A-2 Semifinal Round Saturday night at Greenwood Park after Eagle Grove senior Addy Jeske hit a walk-off homerun on an 0-2 pitch with two outs and the tying run on third base in the bottom of the seventh inning.
It was a back-and-forth affair as the Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Humboldt tied the game in the second with a two-RBI single by Jazzie Dodd. Eagle Grove would break open the game with a five-run fifth inning that saw nine Eagles come to the plate, resulting in a 7-2 lead. The Wildcats would get a run back in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Landry Lash and add another three runs in the fifth inning to bring the deficit to one run with an RBI single by Adalee Nolting and two runs scoring on an error off a dropped fly ball in left field.
The Cats would take the lead with three more runs in the sixth inning with two runs on errors and the third on a wild pitch to take a 9-7 lead. Eagle Grove tied the game at 9-9 in the bottom half of the sixth with an RBI double by Addy Jeske and an error. Humboldt retook the lead in the top of the seventh with a run to lead 10-9.
In the bottom of the seventh, Eagle Grove’s Chloe Schultz led off the inning with a single and stole second. Salem Willard ground out to second for the first out, advancing the tying run to third. Brenna Grandgeorge would pop out to second for the second out of the inning to bring up Jeske. Jeske would proceed to fall behind 0-2 and was down to her last strike before the walk-off two run home run to propel Eagle Grove to the regional final round.
Humboldt Head Softball Coach Erica Post on the season-ending loss to Eagle Grove.
Humboldt concludes the 2025 season at 15-14 overall. The Eagles improved to 17-10 overall and are advancing to their second consecutive Regional Final Round in as many years where they will take on second Ranked Williamsburg. Eagle Grove Head Softball Coach Jim McLaughlin on his team advancing to a win a way from the program’s first state tournament appearance since 2004.
Tuesday’s 3A-2 Regional Final begins at 7 p.m. from Williamsburg.