LETTS — Never say die.

That has been the theme for the Louisa-Muscatine High School softball team this season.

And the Falcons followed it all the way to the state tournament.

Louisa-Muscatine used a three-run home run by Kamryn Taylor and the relief pitching of eighth-grader Grace Hoopes to rally for a 6-3 victory over Pella Christian in a Class 2A regional final Monday night at Louisa-Muscatine High School.

Second-ranked Louisa-Muscatine (29-6) advances to the state tournament to play 15th-ranked West Monona (29-6) at 2:30 p.m. on July 22 at Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge.

Pella Christian bows out with a 13-17 record.

It will be the Falcons’ first state tournament appearance since 2022.

Never say die.

“We went in confident and scoring runs. We didn’t let anything get us down,” said Hoopes, who held the Eagles scoreless for the final 2 1/3 innings. “It was very exciting how we got this accomplished and now going to state. It was fun.”

“At the beginning of the season we all believed,” said freshman catcher Joslynn Ramer, who made one of the biggest plays of the night in the sixth inning. “We never gave up.”

Taylor, the lone senior on the team, never lost faith in the younger players.

“All of the girls are really young, but everyone takes leadership roles in different ways,” said Taylor, who pitched the first 4 2/3 innings. “Everybody plays their part on the team. In the batting order there’s not just the top five batters. Everybody can hit the ball up and down the order. They all really just play their part.”

After watching his team rally to win multiple games this season, Louisa-Muscatine coach Bryan Butler knew there was no reason to panic after Pella Christian scored three runs in the fifth inning to tie the game.

“This whole season they have been such a good team,” Butler said. “I keep telling them I don’t think they know how good they are. They just play loose, have fun and run the bases hard. They put pressure on the other team. Our bunts have been great the last week or so. Just do what we need to do to push runs across and get a lead.”

Louisa-Muscatine jumped in front from the get-go, plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Grace Kissell, the SEI Super Conference North Division Player of the Year, worked a walk from Pella Christian pitcher Laurel Roozeboom. One out later, Keely Williams walked and Ramer hit into a fielder’s choice, allowing Kissell to score. Williams scored moments later on a squeeze bunt by Taylor to give the Falcons a quick 2-0 lead.

Louisa-Muscatine played small ball to score another run in the second. Hoopes was hit by a pitch, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Jersey Ramer.

Just like that, the Falcons had a 3-0 lead.

“I’m proud when we can score a couple in each inning instead of six in one, that means people in different parts of the lineup get a rally going,” Butler said.

Taylor, meanwhile, was cruising along. The Eagles had runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings, but Taylor extricated the Falcons from jams with three strikeouts, a weak pop-up and a tapper back to the circle.

“I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I was going to be,” Taylor said. “I just wanted to pitch my game. I knew that I had Grace (Hoopes) there to back me up if something went wrong. And she did. She really stepped up.”

Pella Christian broke through in the fifth. Singles by Amaia Agre and Rachel Kacmarynski opened the frame. One out later, Chloe Snyder worked a walk to lead the bases.

Agre scored on a wild pitch and Kacmarynski scampered home on a sacrifice fly by Brynn Roozeboom. A single by Laurel Roozeboom brought home Snyder to tie the game at 3.

Butler then pulled Taylor and brought in Hoopes, who walked the first batter she faced before getting Jessa De Vries to ground out to end the inning.

“It was very scary. There was a lot of pressure,” Hoopes said. “I was nervous, but I knew my team was behind me.”

“Grace did great. She really stepped up. She wasn’t nervous. She really did her part,” Taylor said. “I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I was going to be. I just wanted to pitch my game. I knew that I had Grace there to back me up if something went wrong. And she did. She really stepped up.”

Butler was not the least bit surprised at Hoopes’ performance in the circle.

“She’s our No. 2 right now. She’ll be the No. 1 next year. She’s a great pitcher,” Butler said. “I asked her is she was nervous and she said, ‘Oh yeah.’ You couldn’t tell. She kept the ball low and kept it in the park and ended the game. She did a great job.”