JILLIAN HESSE pitches for South Hamilton in a Class 1A regional softball game against Woodward-Granger. (DFJ photo by Angela Hewitt)

JEWELL — With a new phase of their 2023 campaign beginning, the South Hamilton softball team had a chance to at least venture one step further into the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s Class 2A-Region 4 tournament.

It turned out that Woodward-Granger, despite a similar record in the regular season, had something to say about that.

In the regional first round matchup, held last Friday at the Mike Penning Athletic Complex, South High’s season came to a close by way of a 10-5 loss against Woodward-Granger.

Woodward-Granger captured an early 5-1 lead and pushed away with a four-run burst in the seventh inning to shut the door on the Hawks’ tough season.

With the season ending setback, South High bowed out of the season with a 4-22 record.

Woodward-Granger (5-20) advanced to the regional quarterfinals, where they will take on South Hardin (25-7) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in Eldora. The winner between Woodward-Granger and the Tigers will move on to the regional semifinals, where they will face the winner of Ogden and Madrid.

Stats from South Hamilton were unavailable as of press time.