Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Ansley Oswald of St. Edmond makes the game-ending catch with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning of a Class 1A regional final against St. Ansgar on Monday night at Rogers Park. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Ansley Oswald looked up from the outfield grass to find the ball in her glove as her teammates were rushing toward her.

Oswald’s game-ending catch with the bases loaded here Monday night at Rogers Park gave the St. Edmond softball team a thrilling come-from-behind 4-2 Class 1A regional final win over Saint Ansgar.

With the victory, the fourth-ranked Gaels are headed back to the state tournament for a second consecutive season, marking the first back-to-back appearances in program history.

St. Edmond (25-5 overall) will bring a 13-game win streak with them when they return here next Tuesday for a 1A quarterfinal contest at a time to be determined.

“This is just so exciting,” said Oswald, who also drove in a run during the sixth-inning rally. “Honestly, I just stretched my glove out as far as I could and hit the ground. I didn’t know if I had the ball until I rolled over and saw it in my glove.

“Everybody was running out after me to celebrate. It just felt incredible.”

Junior slugger Mariah Myers got the Gaels on the board with a solo home run — her 14th of the season — in the first. Saint Ansgar (22-10), which upset No. 10 Mason City Newman to advance, answered on a solo shot by Lia Halfman in the second.

The Saints took the lead in the fifth when Aspen Falk drove in Ava Falk to make it 2-1. Gael hurler Kaili Henning was able to pick up a strikeout to get out of the jam. She worked around having five runners on base in the final two innings without allowing a run.

“My defense was incredible behind me,” said Henning, who had been sick the last two days and missed practice. “I wasn’t feeling my best, but I think that helped me focus more because I knew I really trust them behind me.”

Henning struck out six and walked four while also helping her own cause with a pair of hits. The squad’s lone senior is now 16-3 on the season.

“I told them before that this game was going to come down to who had the better defensive effort,” SEHS head coach Bill Shirbroun said. “We didn’t make an error in the field and had some special plays behind Kaili.

“These girls had a lot of pressure on them to get back to state. It was the expectation for them. I’m just so happy they were able to achieve this.”

Down 2-1 in the sixth, Henning singled and Myrah Lemon came on to run for her. Lemon stole second and would score two batters later to tie the game up. Jade Rock, a pinch runner, scored after coming in for Toryn Helle, and advancing following two errors.

After Rock’s winning run, Oswald raced home to provide some added support for Henning.

“We just kept the confidence up,” Henning said. “As a senior, I try my best to help the underclassmen stay upbeat and excited. We never got down and knew we still had a chance to win it.”

Saint Ansgar loaded the bases in the seventh after St. Edmond walked Halfman with two outs. Maci Mayer connected on a pitch to left that Oswald raced down and hauled in, setting off the celebration.

“That was just an incredible play,” Shirbroun said. “That ties it or even puts them up if Ansley doesn’t make the play. What a special moment for her and the entire team, doing this in front of the home crowd and on this field.”

Four of the 1A regional finals were delayed until Tuesday because of weather, with top-ranked Martensdale-St. Marys, No. 3 Remsen St. Mary’s and seventh-rated Southeast Warren joining the Gaels in the field.

ST. EDMOND 4, SAINT ANSGAR 2

Saint Ansgar 010 010 0 — 2 9 4

St. Edmond 100 003 x — 4 6 0

WP–Kaili Henning (16-3, 7 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 6 K, 4 BB). LP–Josie Juhl (20-7, 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 K, 2 BB).

HR–SA: Lia Halfman; SE: Mariah Myers. 2B–SA: Aspen Falk. RBI–SA: Aspen Falk, Lia Halfman; SE: Mariah Myers, Ansley Oswald. SB–SA: Aspen Falk; SE: Myrah Lemon (2), Jade Rock.