Heavyweight Matchup Set for 3A Championship

Defending champ Williamsburg takes on No. 1 Dubuque Wahlert

Williamsburg's Alley Gorsh (6) looks at the ball after hitting for a two-RBI against Davenport Assumption during the second inning in the 3A Iowa high school state softball tournament championship at Rogers Sports complex on Friday, July 26, 2024, in Fort Dodge, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

Not often do you get a matchup between the top-ranked team and a two-time defending champion for the title. 

But that is exactly what is going to happen in Class 3A of the Iowa high school state softball tournament after Dubuque Wahlert and Williamsburg advanced on Wednesday at Rogers Park.

Julia Roth went off, belting two home runs in back-to-back innings for the Golden Eagles. She finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored while pitching a six-hitter with six strikeouts.

Roth tied the 4A record shared with Madi Parrott of Indianola and Paige Lowary from Dallas Center-Grimes who both hit two home runs in state tournament games. 

Hayley Lang was 4-for-4 while Kylie Sieverding and Sadie Schultz each had three hits. Natalie Ruba drove in a pair for Wahlert, as she also went deep. 

This is the first time Dubuque Wahlert has reached the finals in its last four trips to state. They were knocked off in the semifinals each of the past two seasons, placing third and fourth.

Libby Winters and Kyra Naeve both had two hits for PCM, who took a 1-0 lead before the Golden Eagles plated four in the fourth and added three more in the fifth. 

Winters also had a highlight-reel catch in center that took away a three-run homer.

Williamsburg Seeking Third Consecutive State Title

Under head coach Adam C. Berte, the Raiders have become a premier program in Iowa.

Along with winning each of the last two state titles, Williamsburg has now reached the final round four consecutive seasons after posting a 9-1 win over Albia in six innings Wednesday.

Taylor Pitlick was 3-for-4 with two runs scored while both Makenna Hughes and Alley Gorsh delivered two hits each for the Raiders, who broke a 1-1 tie with eight unanswered runs to end it early.

Hughes also scored twice and stole two bases while Jersey Metz earned the win inside the circle with three strikeouts and just three hits allowed.

For Albia, Addie Pearson had a home run, driving in the lone run.