Greene County is heading back to the Class 3A State Softball Tournament at Rogers Sports Complex north of Ft. Dodge for the second season in a row after rolling over Atlantic on Monday in the Region 8 final by a score of 16-2. The game ended an inning early by the 10-run rule. Coach Tom Kennedy’s Rams totaled 24 hits to just two for the Trojans and Greene County takes a 30-6 record and number four ranking to Ft. Dodge next Tuesday, July 21. Atlantic ends its season at 32-11.

Freshman Alexis Handel smacked a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the first to give Atlantic a 2-0 lead. Greene County answered with six runs in the second after two were out and no one was on base. Another run in the third made it 7-2 and the margin increased to 11-2 with four more runs in the fourth. Five runs in the sixth made it a 16-2 game.

Winning pitcher Marissa Promes improved to 29-3 on the season by allowing only two hits and one walk. She recorded five strikeouts.

All nine Greene County batters had at least one hit with leadoff batter Carleigh Paup leading the way with two doubles, three singles, three runs batted in, and a five for five night. Emma Saddoris was four for five with two RBI, two doubles, and two singles. Hannah Onken and Kayla Mobley each were three for five (all singles) with each player knocking in two runs. Emily Christensen doubled twice and had two RBI, and Sydney Koch doubled and singled . Promes and Tressa Rasmussen each had two base hits and Promes had two RBI. Bailey Godwin singled once and was on base three times.

Atlantic had three errors and the Rams had two, but both Greene County errors came after the team was up by nine or more runs.