Dawson Drives in Winning Run as Savages Advance to Regional Championship

SIGOURNEY—On July 7, the Sigourney Savages hosted the Wapello Arrows for an opportunity to host the Class 1A Region 8 championship. The Savages advanced to the championship game with a 2-0 victory. 

The game was nail bitter throughout. In the top of the third, the Arrows put Carly Goodwin in a situation she has not dealt with much this year, a bases loaded jam with two outs. The decision to load the bases came from Head Coach Shelly Striegle, who walked the best Wapello batter in Tatum Wolford. Striegle spoke on the decision with, “Carly looked at me, and we hadn’t talked about it before, but the two of us have a connection with Carly being an older pitcher. She looked at me, and I shook my head yes. She shook her head yes back. I knew that she felt comfortable going ahead and walking her, and facing the next batter. As a pitcher I want her to feel comfortable, and she was feeling good. I think that benefited us greatly for her to know she could get the next batter. I still believe she could’ve gotten her (Wolford), but we played the odds, and they went with us.” Goodwin struck out the next Wapello batter to get the Savages out of the bases loaded jam, and keep the game tied at 0.

The game stayed tied until a Savage rally in the bottom of the sixth inning. Carly Goodwin kicked off the rally with a leadoff single. After a Josephine Moore strikeout, Kenzi VanDenHueval fought at the plate to draw a walk. Both runners advanced on a passed ball to give the Savages a scoring opportunity. Erin Dawson then stepped up the plate with an opportunity to give the Savages the lead. Dawson looked over to Coach Striegle on third base, and received a bunt signal. Dawson then layed down a perfect bunt to bring home Goodwin from third base. Coach Striegel said the decision was affected by her late father with, “My dad passed away a couple years ago, and he was one of our assistants. All I heard on third base was his voice in my head screaming, “Squeez! Squeez!”, and Erin executed perfectly and the runner executed perfectly.”

Kenzi VanDenHueval then made her way home on a passed ball to push the Savage lead to 2-0. 

In the top of the seventh, Goodwin went to work. She struck out the first two batters before giving up a double. Coach Strielge brought the infield into the mound after the double to emphasize to her team that there is a two run lead, and they don’t need to make a mistake trying to throw the runner out at home if it comes to that. Goodwin then struck out the final Wapello batter to secure the 2-0 win for the Savages. 

Goodwin finished her day with seven innings pitched, no earned runs on three hits and 16 strikeouts. 

The Savages advance to the Class 1A-Region 8 final, where they will host the Twin Cedar Sabers, who bested the Savages in the regional final last year. After the game Coach Striegel spoke on the potential of a rematch with Twin Cedars with, “All year long I have said to the girls we are going to focus on us, and not the other team. Whoever it is, we are going to prepare the same way. We are going to do the same things, and we are going to be us no matter what. It doesn’t matter who it is, if you want to make it to state, you have to win the game. 

Lastly Coach Striegle spoke on what it means to get to host the regional final at Schaffer Field with, “This is a special place to play. It feels close. It feels like your family is right there. Playing here is always special to me, but it is especially special during tournament time. I was here when they built this field. I helped dig the holes to put the poles in. For me every time I play here it is a goosebump thing, but in tournament play it is extra special.”