Saydel (Des Moines) is the Heart of Iowa Activities Conference softball champion for 2023 after the Eagles defeated Greene County in the last game of the conference season on Wednesday night in Jefferson. The Eagles won 3-0 to finish 13-1 in league play while the Rams finish second at 12-2. The two teams each won on the others’ home field this season. The seventh ranked Eagles are 19-4 overall and the number 13 Rams are 19-6.

The Eagles scored an earned run in the first on Dakota Lake’s run scoring double and added two unearned runs in the sixth. The Rams were charged with four errors in the contest while the Eagles had no errors. Greene County had just three hits, all singles, and struck out 12 times vs. Dakota Lake. Saydel’s pitcher walked no one and allowed just three base runners, and one of the three was caught trying to steal second base. Losing pitcher Emma Hoyle gave up four hits to go with two walks and she struck out eight batters. The loss was just the second in the last 15 games for Greene County.

Greene County is off until it hosts Humboldt at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 3 in a varsity only contest in Jefferson on KG98 and streamed on www.raccoonvalleyradio.com to end the regular season. The Rams open Class 3A Region 3 play on July 6 at 7 p.m. in Jefferson vs. Washington High School of Cherokee.