For one of the few times in the history of the Jefferson-based high school softball program there were home games in Jefferson for the two rounds of the postseason. The Class 3A number 13 Rams began the tournament trail on July 8 with a first round win over Cherokee Washington by a 12-0 final in just three innings. Last night the Rams hosted Southeast Valley (Gowrie) in a Region 3 semifinal at the City Diamond on E. Lincolnway with Coach Tom Kennedy’s team winning by a 4-0 score.

The Rams met SEV in Harcourt just 10 days earlier, resulting in a 9-1 Greene County victory. The Jaguars did not throw either of their top two pitchers that night, but Emma Hoyle for the Rams struck out 16 SEV batters in the first meeting. On Saturday night, Hoyle had 16 strikeouts again and retired the first 18 batters she faced. The senior tossed a no-hitter with no fair ball leaving the infield and the only base runner for SEV was hit by a Hoyle pitch leading off the seventh. Hoyle is the sole owner of the most K’s recorded in a single season in Greene County history with 257. She entered the game with 241, tied with 2015 graduate Marissa Promes, at the top of the leader board. Hoyle, also the Greene County career strikeout leader.

SEV used two pitchers with starter Maddie Van Sickle taking the loss. She went the first two innings and trailed 3-0 after one frame. It went to 4-0 in the third with reliever Chloe Lambert giving up the fourth run. SEV had two errors while Greene County played without an error. Payton Kokenge doubled twice, once down the right right field line and one to left off the third base bag. The only other hit in the game was a first inning infield hit by Olivia Shannon leading off for the Rams. Emma Stream had two SAC bunts with each driving in a run.

The Rams will meet Saydel for the Region 3 title at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 11 in Des Moines on the home field of the Eagles with a trip to the State Tournament north of Ft. Dodge at Rogers Park on the line. The Heart of Iowa Activities Conference rivals are 1-1 this season facing each other with each getting a road win. Both teams are 22-6 and both have All-State pitchers who rank among Iowa’s strikeout leaders this season.