Kirkwood’s Kayla Tatge
The Eagles face Iowa Central in the first round of the regional tournament
The Kirkwood softball team wrapped up the regular season on Tuesday by sweeping a doubleheader over rival DMACC. With the wins the Eagles, ranked third in the nation, finished with a 41-game winning streak and an astounding 48-3 record and 28-0 in the conference. The team now moves on to the Region XI Tournament where they are the number one seed.
Head Coach Joe Yegge knew that the team was going to be talented going into the season, but even he was surprised by the results on both a team and individual level.
“This team has grown up over the last two months and have learned to compete for a complete game in every game,” said Yegge. “I was shocked at how good our pitching and hitting have been this year. I never would have thought that we would lead the country in homeruns.”
It’s been a season to remember for the Eagles who have seen a number of players hit milestones in their quest for a championship. Sophomore slugger Kayla Tatge set the school’s career home run record by surpassing the previous mark of 36. Freshman pitcher Amber Logemann set a new Kirkwood record for most strikeouts in a game with 19. Shy Saladino, also a freshman, reached near-perfection by tossing a no-hitter versus Kishwaukee.
While those accomplishments are something to celebrate, the team still has business to attend to. Yegge says the recipe for post-season success is simple.
“Take every game one at a time and stay relaxed,” said Yegge. “The team that goes into regionals with the right mental approach will win.”
The Region XI DII Softball Tournament is scheduled for May 5-7 at Harlan Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge.
The Eagles take on eighth-seeded Iowa Central (13-35, 3-23) at 1 p.m. on Sunday.