A dynasty is brewing in Letts and the Louisa-Muscatine softball team is to blame. In front of a packed Falcon Field on Monday night, L&M punched their ticket to a third straight state tournament with a 5-2 victory over Wilton in a class 2A regional final. 

As heard on KCII, the Beavers drew first blood plating a run in the first after Chloe Wells was hit by a pitch and circled home on a couple pass balls and Ella Caffery knocked a solo home run in the second to take a 2-0 lead. After that, the good times for the Beavers were few and far between. The Falcons immediately erased the deficit by putting up a five spot in the bottom half of the inning headlined by hits from Beth Butler, Mallory Mashek, and the back-breaking three run blast to right-center off the bat of McKenna Hohenadel. That was more than enough insurance for Hailey Sanders in the circle, as the senior did not allow another hit the rest of the night including retiring the final 14 batters she faced. Sanders finished the complete game giving up just two hits, two runs, allowing one free pass, and striking out nine. The whole Louisa-Muscatine lineup reached safely in the contest with Hohenadel and Butler each having a pair of hits. Kylie Sanders drove in a run and had one knock. 

Hailey Sanders told KCII Sports Hohenadel’s home run was a big momentum shift. “That changed the game a ton by bringing our spirits up and Wilton’s momentum down. I was able to now pitch with a lead and that took so much pressure off me in the circle. It means so much to be going back to state for the third year in a row. It is crazy to think about and I am so excited for next week.”

The Falcons move to 18-5 overall and will compete in Fort Dodge July 27-31st seeking their second title in three years.