Comets advance to Softball State Tournament

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

MANCHESTER — When their record essentially reverted back to 0-0, the Charles City Comets decided to start playing their best softball of the season.

Three days removed from a blowout victory over Mason City in the semifinal round of the Class 4A Region 3 Tournament, Charles City followed up with a convincing 7-2 regional championship victory over 31-win West Delaware at the Hawks’ home field on Tuesday.

The Comets (24-10 regular and postseason combined) now are set to travel to Fort Dodge for the Class 4A State Tournament. They will face Carlisle (36-6) in the first round, 1:30 p.m. July 19 at Mittera Field within the Harlan Rogers Sports Complex.

Charles City sophomore Tayler Schmidt was 3-for-3 with two solo home runs. Her first was a towering shot in the third inning that — upon leaving her bat — prompted the only question if it was going to land fair well beyond the left-field fence.

Megan Staudt had two hits, including a double to start a two-run rally in the second inning which included a RBI single by Jamie Sindlinger to open the scoring followed by a RBI double by Cianna Sonberg to put the Comets up 2-0 after two.

Bailey Mitchell also had two hits for Charles City, and Megan Roethler picked up her 14th win of the season while going the seven-inning distances.

“Yeah, we had a lot of heros today … Tayler (Schmidt), Jamie (Sindlinger) … Megan (Roethler and/or Staudt),” Comets coach Brian Bohlen said, “but it seems to be someone different every game.

“Last game, it was Sara (Martin) who was the hero with her game-winning grand slam. Today, she didn’t get a hit, but the rest of the team picked her up.”

The Comets swung the bats well, but this may have been one of their best defensive games.

After Hawks leadoff hitter Katelyn Mangold started the game with a double and soon advanced to third, Liz Koloc attempted to lay down a suicide bunt. It was a game effort as she deftly put the ball down the third-base line about 10 feet from the plate. But Comet third baseman Sonberg charged the play, fielded the bunt bare-handed and flipped it to catcher Kelby Katcher, who tagged Mangold out.

“That was a huge play,” Bohlen said. “If they score that run and get that early momentum, the game could have been much different.”

Schmidt also had some excellent plays at second base, and Sindlinger helped put an end to some brewing drama in the seventh inning.

With one out, two Hawks reached base in order with a single and an error. Roethler got the next Hawk batter to pop up near the Comets’ dugout. Leaping up high against the fence, Sindlinger made the catch exciting the Comet fans in attendance as well as her teammates, who more than sensed their season was going to last a little longer.

“We seemed to have timed it perfectly to go out and play this well right now,” Bohlen said.