—Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Algona’s Kameryn Etherington connects for an RBI-double against Davenport Assumption during a Class 3A quarterfinal game on Monday at Rogers Park For more photos, visit CU at messengernews.net

The Algona softball team showed they deserved to be at the state tournament Monday night.

After falling in a 3-0 hole early, the Bulldogs pushed top-ranked (Class 3A) and two-time defending champion Davenport Assumption inside Rogers Park, coming up just short, 3-2.

“I’m just beaming still,” Algona head coach Jackie Fonley said. “What an incredible game and an incredible effort by these girls. It was a little surreal for them early on with all the people and the opponent, but they never quit and never gave up.”

Two runs in the sixth by Algona (17-11 overall) made things interesting, cutting the deficit to a single run. But University of Iowa signee Allie Timmons recorded two outs with the bases loaded, ending the jam.

Timmons finished with 12 strikeouts, three hits allowed and three walks, improving to 30-0 on the year.

Kameryn Etherington, just a junior, belted a two-RBI double that reached the center-field fence, plating both Alyssa Hentges and Ashlin Young.

Etherington also silenced the potent Assumption (39-2) offense, allowing just four hits after the second inning.

“I think early on, we let the opponent being ‘Assumption’ get to us,” Etherington said. “That, and it being state and so many people here watching. But we just re-focused and went back to our saying of ‘Why not?’ us. We had just as much to play for as anybody and we really wanted it.

“I’m just so proud of what we did and I’m excited to play another game at state.”

Davenport Assumption’s Lea Nelson went 3-for-3 out of the leadoff spot, tying a 3A record with four stolen bases. She also scored a run and drove in another.

DAVENPORT ASSUMPTION 3, ALGONA 2

Algona 000 002 0 — 2 3 0

Assumption 210 000 x — 3 9 0

WP–Allie Timmons (30-0, 7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 12 K, 3 BB); LP–Kameryn Etherington (13-9, 6 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 6 K, 0 BB); 2B–A: Nicole Smidt, Kameryn Etherington; DA: Nicole Yoder. 3B–DA: Lauren Loken. RBI–A: Kameryn Etherington (2); DA: Anna Wohlers, Lea Nelson.