Tigers Punch 6th Straight Ticket to State Tournament

ADEL, IA — A first-inning spark and a masterful pitching duel were all the top-ranked Adel-DeSoto-Minburn Tigers needed on Tuesday night. Playing in front of a home crowd, the ADM Softball team edged out the #9-ranked Norwalk Warriors 1-0 in a thrilling Class 4A Region 1 Championship game, securing their spot in the state tournament for the sixth consecutive season.

The Tigers (33-4 overall) struck early in the bottom of the first inning, providing the night's only offense. Junior Kinzie Maxwell ignited the crowd with a single to get on base. Head coach shifted to the bench for speed, sending in sophomore Peyton Herrick as a courtesy runner. Moments later, sophomore Aubrey Noring crushed a deep ball to left field, driving in Herrick with an RBI double to put ADM ahead 1-0.

From there, the game transformed into a classic postseason pitcher's duel between ADM senior Lauren Hagedorn and Norwalk junior Hadley Michael.

Hagedorn was spectacular on the mound, delivering a complete-seven-inning shutout. She stifled the powerful Norwalk offense, scattering just three hits and striking out six batters to seal the victory. Across the diamond, Michael was equally impressive, keeping the Warriors within striking distance by throwing six innings, giving up four hits, and striking out four.

The tough loss ends a hard-fought season for Norwalk, who finish the year with a 21-16 record.

Heading to Fort Dodge with a New Twist

With the regional crown locked up, ADM has earned the coveted number-one seed in the Class 4A State Tournament. They are scheduled to kick off action this coming Monday, July 20th at 10:30 AM on Channel Seeds Field at Rogers Park in Fort Dodge, where they will square off against Burlington.

This year's trip to Fort Dodge will look a little different for the Tigers and their fans. Running from July 20th to July 23rd, this marks the historic first year that the Iowa high school state softball tournament will transition to a double-elimination format, guaranteeing teams more action and setting up an incredibly competitive week of softball.

Fan Information & Tournament Central

Fans planning to make the trip to Rogers Park to cheer on the Tigers can find everything they need to plan their week online. For complete details on tickets, parking, maps, and up-to-date tournament brackets, check out the official IGHSAU 2026 Softball Tournament Central.