Rams set to host first two rounds of regional playoffs

By MARK SCHAFER mschafer@iowainformation.com

If everything falls their way they could ride a wave of home field advantage throughout their postseason run. 

Based off their success during the regular season the Greene County softball team has at least two games at home to start the post season. The Rams (who stand at 18-5 as of press time) will start the class 3A playoffs with a home game on July 6. 

Greene County will be playing in the class 3A region 3 tournament, where they will have a chance to host both of the first two games in the tournament. The Rams were able to earn the No. 2 overall seed in their bracket.

For sure the Rams will be playing in Jefferson on July 6 when they host Cherokee (a team that stands at 2-19 as of press time). 

Greene County and Cherokee have met once before, according to Bound.com records. Coincidently enough that game came six years prior on July 5 2017, when Cherokee was able to win 3-1 over the Rams. 

Cherokee has had a rough stretch of games as of late. Their last win came on June 22 when they defeated Harris-Lake Park 10-5. After that game the Braves fell to Ridge View and Storm Lake in games played on June 23 and June 26. The Braves also had fallen to Spencer (20-0) and Spirit Lake in recent games. 

Overall the Rams have scored 45 runs all season. A lot of their runs have come from underclassmen. Olivia Fox, a sophomore, and freshman Sophie Thorson, lead their team with six runs scored each. 

Fox also leads her team with 17 hits. She has 15 singles, two doubles. 

Another sophomore, Addison James, has 14 hits on the season with 11 singles and three doubles. 

Overall the Braves have not hit a triple all year. They only have one home run on the season, coming from Freshman Lola Christensen. She had nine hits on the season and three RBI. 

One more freshman, Kalexis Hyndman leads the team with stolen bases. She has five on the season. 

The Braves have used a variety of pitchers throughout the season. 

Junior LaKoda Rodgers has started in 14 games for the Braves and she has played in three more. Overall she has a 1-11 record on the season. In 74 innings pitched she has given up 104 hits, 123 runs, 69 earned runs. She has walked 52 batters, hit 12 more and struck out 52. She holds an ERA of 6.53. 

Mahren Malausky is an eighth grader for the Braves. She has started five games and played in eight. She holds an 0-4 record. In 21 innings pitched she has allowed 56 hits. In that time she has given up 85 runs, 39 earned runs, with 31 walks, one hit batter and 16 strikeouts. She has an ERA of 12.6. 

Two other pitchers for Cherokee have pitched for eight innings. They have given up 18 hits, 30 runs, 18 of them were earned. 

If the Rams are able to win on July 6 they will then return home on July 8 and play either Southeast Valley or OABCIG. Southeast Valley stands at 13-6 on the season. OA-BCIG stands at 4-14 overall on the season. 

On the top half of the bracket the No. 1 overall seed in the region 3 tournament is Saydel. In the first round they will host Harlan Community. 

Humboldt and Algona also play in a first round game, as the final two teams in the region 3 bracket. 

The regional final game will be played at the highest remaining seeded stadium (Saydel if they make it that far) on July 11 with the winner of that game advancing to the State tournament.