-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Faith Shirbroun of St. Edmond hits RBI double against Bishop Garrigan during 1A semi-finals on Friday at Rogers Park

Kaili Henning had a double digit strikeout performance as the fourth-ranked St. Edmond softball team passed their first postseason test.

The Gaels (24-5 overall) rolled past Bishop Garrigan, 8-0 at Rogers Park on Friday night.

St. Edmond had eight as they advanced to the Region 2 final where they will face St. Ansgar (22-9) on Monday at Rogers Park. St. Ansgar beat Mason City Newman 3-2.

It was the first action for St. Edmond in over nine days as their last action was on July 3.

“Being off for so long, we had to come out and have them ready to play,” said St. Edmond head coach Bill Shirbroun. “You can’t simulate game speed in practice.

“We took a while to get warmed up and this time of year, you have to be ready and be disciplined at the plate.”

Henning improved to 15-3 and now has 149 strikeouts on the season. She fanned 11 batters, while walking only two, facing 26 Golden Bears.

“I think it was great in this break for Kaili,” Shirbroun said. “It gave her a chance to get refreshed — and she didn’t miss a beat.”

Late in the season and having some tough off to get refreshed and didn’t miss much and to have 11 strikeouts and an inning our two.”

Faith Shirbroun and Lauren Gibb had two hits each. Shirbroun had a double for the Gaels.

Henning, Toryn Helle, Sophia Schlienz and Ansley Oswald also had hits.

Shirbroun and Gibb had two RBI each. Henning, Schlienz and Oswald all drove in runs.

“We talk a lot about being disciplined at the plate and making good choices,” Shirbroun said. “We’ve been working on not having as many strikeouts and limiting the amount of Ks — and I’m hoping that’s working.

“This season we’ve had 82 and my first year we had 140, so that’s 60 more balls in play and the girls are buying into that.”

Bishop Garrigan’s Abbie Capesius, Lillian Wickman and Shiloh Trainer had the three hits.

ST. EDMOND 8, BISHOP GARRIGAN 0

Bishop Garrigan 000 000 0 — 0 3 1

St. Edmond 020 501 x — 8 8 0

WP–Kaili Henning (15-3, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 11 SO); LP–Ella Schaaf (6 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO); 2B–SE: Faith Shirbroun; MH–SE: Shirbroun, Lauren Gibb; RBI–SE: Shirbroun (2), Gibb (2), Henning, Sophia Schlienz, Ansley Oswald; SF–SE: Schlienz; HBP–SE: Gibb, Hadley Oswald, Henning, Ansley Oswald; SB–BG: Abbie Cpesius; SE: Gibb, Myrah Lemon (2), Jade Rock, Schlienz, Shirbroun, Mariah Myers.