“They’re back”

By Greg Grabianowski, Sports Editor

ALGONA—Yes, they returned. Mother Nature has been the only winner for the past three weeks and six of 10 scheduled racing dates at the Kossuth County Speedway so far this summer.

FORT DODGE—A five-run fourth inning was the big factor in fourth-ranked St. Edmond’s 8-0 softball victory over the Bishop Garrigan Golden Bears in a Class 1A regional semi-final contest played on Friday, July 12.

The green-and-white moved within one game of a state tournament berth with a record of 24-5 while the Golden Bears concluded the 2024 campaign with an overall record of 17-8, including a Top of Iowa Conference crown.

ALGONA—Bishop Garrigan exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and went onto a 9-1 victory on Wednesday, July 10 over the North Iowa Lady Bison in the second round of the Class 1A regional softball tournament.

Trailing 1-0 at the time, the black-and-gold sent 11 batters to plate, pounding out seven hits in the seven-run outburst to take a commanding 7-1 advantage.

ALGONA—Ninth-ranked Bishop Garrigan fought and held off a stubborn West Bend-Mallard Wolverines’ baseball team by the final score of 7-3 in the Class 1A district semi-final played on Tuesday, July 9.

A five-run second stanza was the difference in the contest as the home team had four hits and took advantage on a Wolverine error to take an early 5-0 advantage.

Warriors fall in district

baseball semi-finals

FORT DODGE—St. Edmond built huge lead after the first three innings and cruised to a 16-6, five-inning victory over the North Union Warriors on Tuesday, July 9 in the Class 1A district baseball semi-finals.

The green-and-white scored once in the bottom of the first stanza and added six more in both the second and third frames to build a commanding 13-0 advantage.

SWEA CITY—Ridge View pounded out 10 hits, including a pair of round-trippers in a 10-1 victory over the North Union Warriors softball squad in the Class 2A regional softball tournament opener on Wednesday, July 10.

Tatum Shephard limited the green-black-and-silver offense to just one run while striking out four, walked three and hit a batter to earn the win in the chalked circle.

FREDERCKSBURG—Seventh-ranked Sumner-Fredericksburg flexed their muscles in a 13-1, four-inning Class 3A regional semi-final victory over the Algona Bulldogs on Saturday, July 13.

The 32-3 Cougars plated four runs in the first inning, scored twice in the third stanza and ended the contest early with seven tallies in the bottom of the fourth frame.

CLEAR LAKE—A three-run third inning proved to be the difference as the Algona Bulldogs’ softball squad won an exciting 3-2 contest over the Clear Lake Lions in the Class 3A regional opener that was played on Thursday, July 11.

The victory improved the red-and-black’s overall season record to 11-15 while Clear Lake ended the 2024 campaign with a season mark of 13-13.

Izaak Walton League July 9 Standings—“A” League—Main Street Specialties 1,628; Harms Masonry 1,613; Algona Machine 1,611; Security State Bank 1,601; Ingalls Electric 1,599; Dan Peterson Construction 1,592; S & B Farms 1,590; Reutzel Excavating 1,570; “B” League—Ingalls Electric Jr. 1,527; Kemco Tires 1,524; Schumacher Well Drilling 1,517; Reutzel Excavating Jr. 1,512; Ed’s Service 1,510; Commercial Services 1,504; Deitering Bros.

By Greg Grabianowski, Sports Editor

FORT DODGE—Not even a two-hour weather delay could slow down North Union pitcher Caden Walders as the right-hander overcame the delay to finish his no-hitter in an 18-0 drubbing of the West Hancock Eagles on Saturday, July 6 at Harlan Rogers Park.

By Greg Grabianowski, Sports Editor

ALGONA—Houston Nielsen had three hits, scored twice, drove in three RBI and tossed four strong innings to help lead the West Bend-Mallard Wolverine baseball team to a 10-5 district opening win over the North Iowa Bison on Saturday, July 6.

By Greg Grabianowski, Sports Editor

ALGONA—A Ryan Haynes single in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Kaitlyn Burns to give the Algona Bulldog softball squad an exciting walk-off, comeback victory over the Clear Lake Lions on Wednesday, July 3 in the final North Central Conference game of the year for both teams.

The visitors scored first in the contest as Jazzie Thompson singled and came around to score on a RBI double by Taylor Schwenn.

ALGONA—Ninth-ranked Bishop Garrigan scored in every inning they batted in a 17-0, four-inning Class 1A district baseball opening victory on Saturday, July 6 over the Belmond-Klemme Broncos.

The black-and-gold plated nine runs in the bottom of the first inning by pounding out five hits in the frame, all of them being singles.

The home team added another run in the second stanza as Benji Trainer singled and later crossed the plate as the Bison pitcher committed a balk.

BANCROFT—Bishop Garrigan exploded for six first-inning runs and went onto a 10-3 Top of Iowa Conference baseball victory on Wednesday, July 3 over the North Union Warriors in the regular season finale for both teams.

The black-and-gold got to Warrior starter Max Merrill for six tallies in the top of the first stanza with the big blow being a three-run triple off the bat of Daniel Meis.

FORT DODGE—A pair of University of Iowa baseball recruits met up in an old fashioned pitcher’s duel on Friday, July 5 at Harlan Rogers Park as Algona’s junior Tate Slagle outdueled Bishop Heelan’s senior Jason Bleeker to lead the Bulldogs to a 4-2 non-conference victory over the fourth-ranked Crusaders.