The veterans of the state tournament found their way back to the winner’s circle.

West Central defeated Tri-Valley 11-1 in the championship bout of the State A softball tournament Saturday, squeezing victory in ahead of impending weather delays. The state title is the second trophy in three straight trips to the championship game for the Trojans.

“It’s amazing,” said West Central senior Izzy Parsons, who has played in all three state tournaments for the Trojans. “I love it so much. This is where I want to be and this is what I want to do.”

West Central held off late-game threats from the Mustangs, who were making their first championship game appearance after finishing sixth a year ago. Tri-Valley loaded the bases with one out in both the fifth and sixth innings, but West Central pitcher Elisabeth Miller worked her way out of the inning both times.

“She’s just fierce,” said Trojans’ coach Heather Harden. “She’s a competitor. Our defense behind her gives her the confidence to keep throwing hard.”

Tri-Valley, which made a living on late-game comebacks in the first two contests of the tournament, scored the game’s first run on Friday and appeared poised to upend the top-seeded Trojans.

“One thing we struggled with the last two days was coming out in the first inning and scoring a run,” said Tri-Valley coach Sami Van Assel. “We did that today. Now, unfortunately, we didn’t finish the game and we had some errors and situations we didn’t take extra bases, but overall the girls have had an impeccable weekend.”

West Central erased the Mustangs’ lead with a 3-run third inning. Sophie Rolfson doubled home Addy Kunzweiler, while an error plated Parsons. Ayla Kramer then singled home Rolfson to give the Trojans a lead they wouldn’t surrender.

Still, no lead is ever safe enough with Tri-Valley’s history of late-game magic. The Mustangs, however, couldn’t string together the clutch hits with runners in scoring position.

“We knew coming into this, the last couple games (Tri-Valley) has been coming in on the late side,” Parsons said. “They’ve been getting their hits, getting their runs. So we never got too comfortable. We practice a lot of pressure situations, and that’s exactly what happened here (Friday). I think we handled it very well.”

West Central added three more in the fifth, then ended the game with a 5-run sixth for the 10-run margin of victory.

“I’m so grateful for this team,” Parsons said. “This is the dream team.”

Kramer had three hits, two runs scored and two more driven in for the Trojans. Briauna Hoff, Maddy Kunzweiler and Teagan Lupkes all had 2-hit performances.

Tri-Valley was led by Emery Pearson’s 2-for-3 effort at the plate. Kadence Davey had the Mustangs’ lone other hit and scored the team’s only run.

Miller went the distance on the mound for West Central, striking out eight and issuing five walks, but giving up just the one early run.

Tri-Valley 100 000 – 1 3 4

West Central 003 035 – 11 12 2

Emry Jones, Izzy Davey (6) and Kadence Davey; Elisabeth Miller and Maddy Kunzweiler. 2B – West Central, Briauna Hoff, Sophie Rolfson.

Third place game: Dell Rapids 8, Dakota Valley 0

Dell Rapids blanked Dakota Valley 8-0 to finish third for the third straight year at the State A softball tournament.

Dell Rapids pitcher Katie Kvigne tossed seven innings of scoreless ball, striking out 10 while giving up just five hits and no walks in the victory. The senior also went 3-for-4 from the plate with two doubles, a run scored and three driven in to help her own cause.

Kayleigh Gillette, Ella Johnson, Addison Van’t Hoff, Elly Olson and Emma Lanpher all had two hits apiece for the Quarriers.

Dell Rapids 103 201 1 – 8 15 0

Dakota Valley 000 000 0 – 0 5 3

Kate Kvigne and Rylee Halverson; Chaley Preston, Emma Barnett (4) and Mia Riibe. 2B – Dell Rapids, Kvigne 2; Dakota Valley, Riibe.

Fifth place game: Madison 2, Vermillion 1

Madison scratched across single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, and it was just enough to inch past Vermillion 2-1 for fith place at the State A tournament.

Addison Voss led off the fourth with a single, then stole her way around the diamond to third before scoring on a bunt single from Logan Prostrollo for the game’s tying run.

The Bulldogs then took the lead on a one-out double from Paislee Cooney, followed by an RBI single from Evie Lurz.

Kelcie Dudley picked up the victory, going seven innings with 10 strikeouts, just out-deueling Vermillion’s Mya Halverson’s 8-strikeout performance.

Vermillion 100 000 0 – 1 5 0

Madison 000 110 x – 2 5 1

Mya Halverson and Madigan Wallin; Kelcie Dudley and Evie Lurz. 2B – Vermillion, Dylyn Wagner, Madigan Wallin; Madison, Paislee Cooney.

Seventh place game: Elk Point-Jefferson 9, Sioux Valley 6

Elk Point-Jefferson got the bats going early, scoring all nine of its runs in the first two innings, then held off Sioux Valley late for a 9-6 win in the seventh place game.

The Huskies led off the game with back-to-back doubles on the first two pitches of the game, leading 1-0 before the Cossacks could even record a count. Paige Jacobs added a run-scoring triple, followed by a 2-out error that allowed a third run to cross.

EPJ then strung a bunch of singles and walks together in the second inning – along with a 2-run triple – to extend its lead to 9-1 and threatened to end the game early.

Sioux Valley, however, turned the tables in the bottom of the fifth, doing its own version of a hit parade to plate four runs and make it a 9-6 game.

However, only one baserunner from either squad advanced past second base the remainder of the game. 

Elk Point-Jefferson 360 000 0 – 9 13 4

Sioux Valley 101 040 0 – 6 9 4

Regan Rasmussen, Sailor Kommes (5) and Bailey Johnson; Sioux Valley, McKinley Schwab, Abby Axtel (3) and Amelia Jacobson. 2B – Elk Point-Jefferson, Molly Geary 2, Laney Trometer. 3B – Elk Point-Jefferson, Cera Schmitz, Paige Jacobs.