Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Mackenzie James of Ankeny Centennial connects for a single against Bettendorf on Monday at Rogers Park. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Not many typically view the top-seed as an underdog in a tournament. But that is how Ankeny Centennial and pitcher Lauren Gustofson feel.

The Jaguars used runs in five of the six innings they came to the plate in to post a 7-1 victory over Bettendorf here Monday in the opening round of the Class 5A state softball tournament at Rogers Park.

Up next for Centennial (34-5 overall) will be Southeast Polk (31-9), who knocked off West Des Moines Valley. That game is set for Wednesday at 11 a.m. on Kruger Seeds Field.

Gustofson moved to 9-2 on the season, pitching the first five innings while allowing just four hits. She struck out seven and walked four, as eighth-grader Lauren Sandholm finished things out with two scoreless innings.

“It feels so good,” Gustofson said. “We typically feel like the underdogs most games, but coming in as the No. 1 seed, that’s hard to do. I felt like we handled the pressure well and got a lot of really good efforts from several girls.”

Cora Boyle drove in two runs and stole a base, Makenzie James had two doubles with an RBI and a run scored, and both Mady Ott and Addi Starr drove in runs.

For Bettendorf, Jazzlyn Poole had an RBI and Breanna Caffrey had a hit and stole a base.

The senior for the Jaguars was decked out in completely pink-colored hair, something she said many members of the team decided to do. Most, though, only turned tips or parts of their hair pink; not Gustofson.

“Go big or go home,” she said. “It was just a way to kind of bond together as a team.”

During the regular season, the Jaguars and Rams split their series, as Southeast Polk won the opener, 9-8, while Centennial claimed the nightcap, 20-4. That loss was the last suffered by the Jaguars, who have now won seven in a row.

Bettendorf (29-11) will face West Des Moines Valley (34-9) in a consolation contest on Tuesday at 11 a.m. on Dodger Field.

CENTENNIAL 7, BETTENDORF 1

Bettendorf 001 000 0 — 1 4 2

Centennial 011 131 x — 7 7 1

WP–Lauren Gustofson (9-2, 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K). LP–Emily Rigdon (14-4, 4 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K). 2B–AC: Makenzie James (2). RBI–B: Jazzlyn Poole; AC: Makenzie James, Mady Ott, Cora Boyle (2), Addi Starr. SB–B: Breanna Caffrey; AC: Cora Boyle, Mariah Belzer.