-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Faith Shirbroun of St. Edmond hits a two run homer against Clear Lake

Only one thing could slow the third-ranked (Class 1A) St. Edmond softball team down here Wednesday evening: Mother Nature.

Lightning in the area of Rogers Park led to a delay between the Gaels and AGWSR, with more incoming storms and severe weather eventually causing the regional quarterfinal to be postponed until Thursday.

The game will resume at 6 p.m.

St. Edmond, seeking a fourth consecutive state tournament appearance, hold an 8-0 lead on the heels of back-to-back home runs from Faith Shirbroun and Rihanna Myers. The Gaels (22-9 overall) scored five in the first and three more in the second.

Shirbroun and Myers are both 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored, as Jade Rock and Breckyn Ulrich have each driven in runs. Six straight batters reached base in the first before AGWSR (5-23) turned a double play to end it.

In the second, Shirbroun and Myers went deep on consecutive pitches. For Shirbroun, she now has 33 career home runs and 143 career RBI — both school records.

Toryn Helle has five strikeouts and benefited from a double play turned by St. Edmond in the first inning.

With a win, the Gaels would take on either Collins-Maxwell (16-5) or North Mahaska (18-6) back here on Friday at 7 p.m. in the regional semifinal.

In other 1A regional games from Wednesday, No. 8 Newell-Fonda used a late rally to avoid an upset vs. Le Mars Gehlen, winning 7-6. The Mustangs scored two in the sixth to tie it before winning it in the seventh.

Newell-Fonda (22-11) will play North Union (24-10) in a regional semifinal in Fonda on Friday. The Warriors moved on with an 11-3 victory over Bishop Garrigan.

Pocahontas Area, ranked 15th in 2A, suffered a 4-3 loss to Westwood. The Indians, who were down 4-1 heading into the seventh, scored two to cut into the deficit.