WEBSTER CITY JUNIOR DELAINEY BARGFREDE pitches earlier in the season. (DFJ file photo)

HARCOURT — Before embarking upon the third and final phase of the 2023 season, the Webster City softball team was able to witness something special.

Junior pitcher Delainey Bargfrede, the Western Kentucky verbal commit who has been the dynamo that makes the Lynx go, picked up her 500th strikeout in a 6-0 victory over Southeast Valley in both teams’ final game of the regular season held this past Monday at the Southeast Valley Softball Diamond.

After recording three strikeouts over the course of a complete game, Bargfrede crossed the threshold by outdueling two Southeast Valley hurlers in senior Maddie VanSickle and sophomore Chloe Lambert, who combined for eight strikeouts. Along with a 16-6 record from within the circle, Bargfrede had racked up 166 strikeouts in 2023 alone.

Currently, Bargfrede owns 502 career strikeouts.

With the shutout win, the Lynx finished the regular season at 17-15 overall. It was Webster City’s fifth straight victory, and seventh win in their final eight games of the regular season.

Southeast Valley is now 14-10 overall.

Webster City will now go into playoff mode, traveling north to face Mason City in a Class 4A-Region 5 quarterfinal matchup, set for 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Mason City High School Softball Complex.

The Riverhawks (14-15) backpedaled into the regional tournament, having lost four of their last five contests.

It was all Lynx all throughout, as the purple and gold plated one in the top of the first inning, before following up with three runs in the top of the third frame. Webster City then added one insurance run each in the top of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

Junior Bonnie Nohrenberg picked up two RBIs off of one base hit, while senior Chloe Andersen smacked two singles in the victory.

Junior Addy Tesdahl and Bargfrede each acquired a single and an RBI, while junior Ava Peterson, sophomore Breanna Bahrenfuss and sophomore Cloe Savitski each picked up one hit against the Jaguars.

Freshman Alivia Burns and junior Ellie Weinschenk stole two bags each in the Lynx’s regular season finale, as Savitski and Andersen each came away with one stolen base.