Freeman-Marion-Freeman Academy received a strong pitching performance from Harli Ross in a 9-3 win over Redfield in the consolation championship of the Class B State Softball Tournament Saturday at Players Softball Complex.

Ross struck out 13 batters on a variety of pitches to keep the Pheasants off stride throughout the contest.

“She’s got a good change up. She’s good with her pitches,” said Redfield senior Kylie Hermann. “We really focused on those fastballs in practice and hitting a fast pitcher, so seeing those changeups, you really get thrown off balance.”

Ross, who struck out at least one batter in every inning and struck out the side twice, throws four different pitches: fastball, changeup, a drop and a rise.

The junior said it takes a lot of practice to be able to throw all four.

“I have got a shed at our home that I practice in,” Ross said, “and just working those different pitches to make sure that I have a good mix.”

The Phoenix scored in each of the first four innings of the contest. Claire Loofburrow had a two-run single in the second inning, and Avary Thomas had a two-run single in a four-run fourth.

Redfield got on the board in the third when Hermann doubled to lead off the frame and came home on a single from Layla Hardie.

“I was in a big slump these last few games and I came out and hit a double, brought my confidence back up pretty well,” Hermann said.

The Pheasants scored twice in the bottom of the sixth when Ella Rude-Peterson and Charli Jungwirth both singled and ended up scoring. However, that was as close as Redfield could get off the solid pitching of Ross.

The hurler played a key role in a surge that saw Freeman-Marion-Freeman Academy win nine of its last 12 games entering the state tournament.

“It’s repetition, it’s working on perfecting my form that I had to do a lot this year with just changing up some things to be the best that I can be,” Ross said. “It took a lot of work.”

The game ended a memorable season for Redfield, which qualified for its first state tournament in program history.

“During the SoDak 16, we just gave it our all,” Hermann said. “Whether we win or lose, we wanted to play our hearts out and making it here was pretty emotional for a senior. I started this team up, built it all the way for three years, and now we’re here.”

The seventh-seeded Pheasants ended up finishing one spot higher than they were seeded coming into the tourney.

“We just came out. We played our hardest,” Hermann said. “That’s all we really wanted.”

Freeman-Marion-Freeman Academy 121 400 1 – 9 9 2

Redfield 001 002 0 – 3 6 12

Harli Ross and Claire Loofbourrow; Octavia Paulsen, Makayla Schulz (3) and Ashlee Stroud. 2B – Freeman-Marion-Freeman Academy, Avary Thomas, Loofburrow, Elizabeth Piehl; Redfield, Kylie Hermann, Layla Hardie.

THIRD PLACE

Gayville-Volin 7, Hanson 0

Jolie Westrum pitched a four-hit shutout as Gayville-Volin defeated Hanson 7-0 for third place at the Class B tourney.

Paisley Dimmer drove in a run with a double, and Kendra Beeck drove in a run with single as Gayville-Volin jumped out to a three-run lead in the top of the first inning.

Dimmer added a sacrifice fly in the fifth, and the Raiders later added three more runs, two coming in on one of Hanson’s eight errors.

Hanson’s Jacey Schoenrock gave up just five hits and struck out 11 batters.

Gayville-Volin 300 012 1 – 7 5 0

Hanson 000 000 0 – 0 4 8

Jolie Westrum and Kayden Bye; Jacey Schoenrock and Jozlynn Tegethoff. 2B – Gayville-Volin, Paisley Dimmer.

SEVENTH PLACE

Avon 13, Florence-Henry 3

A trio of innings helped to carry Avon past Florence-Henry 13-3 for seventh place in the Class B tournament.

The Pirates scored four runs in the third inning, as Pria Sesler and Kaydence Metzger each had two-run singles. Avon added five more runs in the fifth as Brielle Voight, Sesler and Metzger plated runs and two more scored on an error.

Avon then tacked on three runs in the seventh, two coming in on Rilyn Thury’s double.

Avon 104 050 3 – 13 10 1

Florence-Henry 001 002 0 – 3 5 5

Kaydence Metzger and Brielle Voight; Elizabeth Reiter, Emma Caulfield (6) and Ashlynn Vavurska. 2B – Avon, Rilyn Thury. 3B – Avon, Rowan Brandt.

THIRD PLACE

West Central 11, Tri-Valley 1

West Central scored in every inning but one on the way to an 11-1 win over Tri- Valley for third third place in Class A.

Sophie Rolfson led the Trojans with four hits and drove in three runs. Rolfson drove in a run in the second inning, had an RBI single in the fifth, and also knocked in a run in the sixth.

Miley Travis added three hits for West Central, including a solo home run.

Mattie Huwe had three hits to pace Tri-Valley.​

West Central 212 033 – 11 12 0

Tri-Valley 001 000 – 1 7 2

Linzie Hoff, Emery Hartman (5) and Maddy Kunzwieler; Kadence Davey, Emry Jones (2), Rowyn Gacke (6) and Syenna Halverson. 2B – West Central, Addy Kunzwiler, Briauna Hoff, Stella Siemonsma, Teagan Lupkes; Tri-Valley, Haleigh Wallenstein. HR – West Central, Miley Travis.

FIFTH PLACE

Sioux Valley 9, Beresford 5

Sioux Valley scored five unanswered runs to take home the consolation championship in Class A with a 9-5 win over Beresford.

Sioux Valley trailed 5-4 after four innings, but a two-run home run in the fifth by McKinley Schwan put the Cossacks on top. Sioux Valley added three more runs in the sixth to close out the victory. Morgan Lemme and Schwab drove in runs in that frame.

Schwab finished with three hits and knocked in four runs, while Lemme also had three hits and plated three.

Sioux Valley 004 023 0 – 9 9 0

Beresford 104 000 0 – 5 9 5

McKinley Schwab, Abby Axtell (5) and Amelia Jacobson; Brynlee Mohning, Rylie Laurvick (6) and Ivy Keiser. 2B – Sioux Valley, Schwab. HR – Sioux Valley, Schwab.

SEVENTH PLACE

Lennox 11, Madison 7

Lennox built a nine-run lead and held off a late surge from Madison to take seventh place in Class A with an 11-7 victory.

The Orioles racked up an 11-2 lead through five innings, scoring twice in the first, three times in the second, four more in the fourth, and two in the fifth.

Morgan DeHaan had a two-run single in the fourth, Jersey Zahn drove in a pair of runs in the fifth.

Madison closed the gap in the bottom of the sixth with five runs, but it wasn’t enough.

Ella Malone hit a grand slam home run to lead the Madison comeback.

Lennox 230 420 0 – 11 15 1

Madison 200 005 0 – 7 13 6

Hailey Hahn, Layci Eli (6) and Jersey Zahn; Kelci Dudley, B Shannon (7) and Evie Lurz. 2B – Lennox, Hahn; Madison, Aubri Tobkin, Addison Voss, Dudley. HR – Madison, Ella Malone.