Central Springs blanks Osage to advance to state tournament

(ABC 6 News) — The Central Springs Panthers understood how hard it is to beat a team three times. With momentum riding high for Osage athletics after the baseball team scored a significant victory on the road, the softball team looked to do the same.

It was not meant to be in Worth County, IA. Central Springs junior Cooper Klaahsen was lights out on the mound as she struck out the first six batters she faced and finished with 11 strikeouts.

On the offensive side, the Panthers showed why they are one of the top-ranked teams in Iowa. They scored their first run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first. Later in the inning, (JR) Abby Pate’s RBI double pushed the lead to 3-0.

The runs would then start to come like clockwork. In the second inning, senior Kaylea Fessler hit a shot deep to center field that almost left the field, but hit the fence. It was good for an RBI triple and pushed the Panthers’ lead to 5-0.

Central Springs would go on to win 10-0 in five innings to advance to the state tournament where they will be the number one seed.