An early hole didn’t force Western Dubuque to panic.

Instead, the Bobcats calmly found their rhythm and used one big inning to put North Polk away here Tuesday at Rogers Park, 5-2.

Next up for Western Dubuque (33-7 overall) will be Adel-ADM in the semifinals here on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. on Iowa Central Field.

Abigail Kluesner, Maddie Harris, Maddie Heiderscheit, Hallie Wilgenbusch and Brynn Walters all drove in a run in the second, erasing a 2-0 deficit.

“We just had to play our game,” senior Meg Besler said. “We just had to trust each other and remain calm.”

Making an appearance at state for the first time since 2008, Besler admits that the environment was a bit much early on.

“Yeah, it’s a different atmosphere and took us some getting used to,” she said. “But we had a big crowd at our regional final so we knew we just had to play our game.”

The Bobcats, unranked to start the year before rising to No. 2 in Class 4A, have now won four in a row and five of six.

Sydney Kennedy earned the win, striking out seven with four walks, five hits and one earned run.

Just like Western Dubuque, the last time North Polk (18-15) made state was in 2008. The Comets, though, have been mainstays in the state basketball tournament and are making their 15th appearance here overall.

Sydney Anderson drove in a run and both Hannah Foster and Ava Hustak recorded a double for North Polk, who will play Clear Creek-Amana in the consolation round Wednesday at 1 p.m.

WESTERN DUBUQUE 5, NORTH POLK 2

North Polk 200 000 0 — 2 5 1

Western Dubuque 050 000 x — 5 8 3

Ava Hustak (L, 12-9), 6 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 K, 2 BB) and Sydney Anderson; Sydney Kennedy (W, 17-5, 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 7 K, 4 BB) and Maddie Harris. 2B–NP: Hannah Foster, Ava Hustak. RBI–NP: Sydney Anderson; WD: Abigail Kluesner, Maddie Harris, Maddie Heiderscheit, Hallie Wilgenbusch, Brynn Walters.