Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Dani Laughlin of Iowa City Regina catches a fly ball against Northeast during the 2A quarterfinals on Tuesday at Rogers Park in Fort Dodge.

Angela Kessler likes to shy away from taking any of the credit for the success of the Iowa City Reginal softball team.

Instead, Kessler prefers to showcase how the players are the ones who make the plays.

Needing just that here on Tuesday in the Class 2A state quarterfinals, Kessler’s Regal delivered, sending the defending champions to the semis with a 4-3 win over Northeast in eight innings.

Iowa City Regina (28-8 overall) will now face Interstate 35 (26-12) on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. on Iowa Central Field. The Roadrunners topped Lisbon to advance.

“We have incredible senior leadership and they really take it upon themselves to talk to the girls and coach them up,” Kessler said. “Honestly, I just kind of stay out of the way unless I see something I need to say. This group really has taken it upon themselves to get ready for this tournament.”

Five innings after taking a pitch off her batting helmet, Kennedy Conner delivered for the Regals, driving in Gabby Sueppel with the winning run.

“I just wait for my chance to get some payback and when it comes, I take it,” Conner said. “There was no better feeling than delivering and getting to see how happy my teammates were.”

For Kessler, it was a different feeling.

“I just had a birthday,” Kessler said. “I’m getting too old for this. It just seems that no matter the situation, we can’t have anything but these kind of games. It was definitely too much for me until the end, but it feels great now.”

Dani Laughlin had an RBI-triple in the third before scoring while Courtney Kessler reached base three times with two singles, an RBI and a run. Ashley Webb struck out nine inside the circle.

IOWA CITY REGINA 4,

NORTHEAST 3 (8 inn.)

Northeast 100 200 00 — 3 7 0

IC Regina 002 001 01 — 4 8 1

WP–Ashley Webb (16-6, 8 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 9 K). LP–Madison Kluever (15-6, 7 IP, 8 H, 3 BB, 4 K).

HR–N: Madison Kluever, Ella Trenkamp. 3B–ICR: Dani Laughlin. 2B–ICR: Jillian Panther. RBI–N: Madison Kluever, Ella Trenkamp, Piper Isbell; ICR: Courtney Kessler, Kennedy Conner, Morgan Gahan, Dani Laughlin.