REGIONAL CHAMPIONS — North Union’s Vanessa Von Bank carries the Iowa Class 2A, Region 1 softball championship banner after the No. 8-ranked Warriors defeated Sioux Central on Monday night in Swea City. North Union players, from left, Aliyah Jones, Beth Streuber, Kaylee Meyer, Sam Nielsen, Naomi Jones, Ella Ulrich, Olivia Von Bank and Emily Meyer join the post-game celebration as Warriors’ head coach Kim Price reacts to the state-qualifying victory. (Photo by Greg Abel)

SWEA CITY — North Union earned its first trip to the Iowa Class 2A state softball tournament at Rogers Park in Fort Dodge since the summer of 2017.

Ace right-hander Emily Meyer worked around a bases-loaded top of the first, while teammates Ella Ulrich and Sam Nielsen combined to reach base seven times and scored six runs to power the No. 8-ranked Warriors to a 9-1 triumph over the Sioux Central Rebels in Monday night’s Region 1 championship game in Swea City.

North Union (29-4) opens the Class 2A state quarterfinals against Earlham at 3:30 p.m. next Monday on Iowa Central Field at Rogers Park.

“I thought there were two key turning points in tonight’s game,” said Kim Price, who makes her first state appearance in just her third season at the Warriors’ softball helm. “Emily (Meyer) and our defense limited Sioux Central to only one run on four hits in the top of the first inning.

“It didn’t look too good with the bases loaded, but Emily managed to get a big strikeout to end the inning.”

The Rebels’ Brynn Webber led off the regional championship clash with a bunt hit, but was erased via a perfect peg to second base from Warrior catcher Shelby Fraker to prevent Webber from stealing.

Meyer recorded the first of her game-best 10 strikeouts for the at-bat’s second out only to watch as Kendra Casey smacked the first of her three hits up the middle.

Maggie McGuire reached on a back-spinning infield floater between the pitcher’s circle and shortstop before Berkley Johannsen blooped an RBI single to center to plate Casey for a 1-0 lead.

After issuing one of her rare two walks, Meyer notched a pivotal strikeout to escape the bases-loaded jam relatively unscathed.

“The second turning point definitely was when Ella (Ulrich) crushed a pitch off the wall to lead off the bottom of the third for us,” said Price. “Opposing defenses had adjusted to her slapping the ball during the last couple of games, so it (double) restored her confidence by hitting the ball deep.”

Ulrich, who went 3-for-3 with three runs scored from the No. 9 spot in the batting order, nearly knocked the delivery over the right-center field fence for a home run, but took the double.

Ulrich moved to third when Nielsen legged out a bunt hit and stayed in place when Cassie Beadle drew a walk. Olivia Von Bank collected an RBI via a bases-loaded walk before Nielsen and Beadle both slid home on wild pitches for a 3-1 lead. Meyer then assisted her own cause by hammering an RBI double to left-center for a 4-1 edge.

Meyer then settled into a smooth pitching rhythm by retiring eight straight after Casey’s second single in the top of the third before the Rebel catcher collected a hit in the fifth.

North Union’s ace right-hander then slammed the door on Sioux Central by retiring seven of the last eight batters she faced to earn the complete-game victory.

Meyer scattered seven hits in allowing one earned run in seven innings of work. She struck out 10 and issued two walks.

Meanwhile, North Union’s potent offense added three more runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to coast to the regional crown.

Maggie Engelby walked, Ulrich legged out a bunt hit and Nielsen walked to jam the base paths in the fourth. Despite the Rebels turning a 1-2-3 double play, Olivia Von Bank received an intentional walk before Meyer netted an RBI when she was plunked by a pitch.

Vanessa Von Bank then highlighted the Warriors’ at-bat by blooping a two-run single into center to extend the lead to 7-1.

Naomi Jones drew a leadoff walk to open North Union’s fifth at-bat, wheeled to second on Ulrich’s bunt hit and gained third on another walk to Nielsen.

With one out, Olivia Von Bank collected seasonal RBIs 67 and 68 by drilling a two-run single up the middle for a 9-1 lead.

Nielsen went 2-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored for the Warriors, while the Von Bank siblings each produced two hits.

Sioux Central ended its season with a 21-7 record.

SC 100 000 0 — 1 7 0

NU 004 320 x — 9 10 0

Taylor Krager (LP), Berkley Johannsen (4) and Kendra Casey. Emily Meyer (WP) and Shelby Fraker.

LOB–North Union 7, Sioux Central 6. 2B–Ella Ulrich (NU), Emily Meyer (NU).