Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Carlisle celebrates their Class 4A state title on Thursday night in Fort Dodge. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

During the regular season, Raccoon River Conference rivals Adel-ADM and Carlisle played a pair of one-run games, with each picking up a victory.

Why would the Class 4A state championship game between the two be any different?

The Wildcats completed their upset run at Rogers Park late Thursday night, claiming a 7-6 victory to hoist their sixth state title — and on the 30th anniversary of the first in 1994.

In fact, as senior Ally Nolte noted after, they were even in the same uniforms.

“It’s unreal,” Nolte said. “Thirty years ago we played ADM and were wearing these (jerseys), so we wanted to wear them again and do it all again.

“All we know at Carlisle is winning. It’s what we are raised to do.”

With the game tied at 6-all, Addy Egimoire laid down a perfect bunt and Evan Johnson-Miers raced home. As Johnson-Miers crossed the plate, the tag was applied but the ball came loose and the senior was called safe.

Carlisle’s improbable postseaosn run continued through the week. After knocking off Cedar Rapids Xavier in a regional final, the seventh-seed upset two-seed Dallas Center-Grimes and No. 6 seed North Scott.

The Wildcats (37-8 overall) sliced into a 5-1 deficit with three runs in the third, highlighted by a two-RBI double from another senior, Kaliyah Freeman. They took the lead in the fifth off the bat of Nolte, as she connected on a two-run homer.

Senior Addesyn Abel handled being subbed in and out of the circle several times, finding her zone late with fourth strikeouts in the sixth and seventh innings combined. She also received an incredible defensive catch from senior Harley Brower in left for the second out in the seventh to save at least the tying run from scoring.

After celebrating with their teammates, the Wildcat players went over to the crowd and pointed toward the next generation of Carlisle players.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Nolte said. “They are going to be the ones to take over. I can still remember wearing my Little League uniform, so to hit a home run in the state tournament is a dream come true.”

The first inning started with a rare triple play being turned by Carlisle. After a hard-hit ball was fielded at third, Freeman threw it to second for the double play. There was confusion on the bases and the Wildcats tagged out the third runner at first.

ADM (31-10) knocked off Fort Dodge in the quarterfinals and stunned top-ranked North Polk in the semis. Ellis Smith had a two-RBI double in the second and Lauren Hagedorn had an RBI-triple in the third.

CARLISLE 7, ADEL-ADM 6

Carlisle 010 320 1 — 7 6 1

ADM 032 010 0 — 6 9 3

WP–Addesyn Abel (3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 K, 2 BB). LP–Lauren Hagedorn (7 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 7 K, 2 BB).

HR–C: Ally Nolte. 3B–ADM: Lauren Hagedorn. 2B–C: Kaliyah Freeman. RBI–C: Natalie Ramsey (2), Kaliyah Freeman (2), Ally Nolte (2); ADM: Ellis Smith (2), Aniston Tollari, Lauren Hagedorn (2), Kaylee Smith. SB–C: Logan Brown, Evan Johnson-Miers; ADM: Aniston Tollari.