The old sports adage about struggling to beat a team three times in the same season came to life on Wednesday in a Class 4A state semifinal between Adel-ADM and North Polk.

The fourth-seeded Tigers exacted revenge on the No. 1 Comets when it mattered most, scoring a 7-2 victory over their Raccoon River Conference rivals to reach the championship round for the first time since 2018.

Another RRC stalwart now awaits in the finals, as seventh-seeded Carlisle advanced with an upset win over North Scott in the game before this one on Iowa Central Field. The 4A title tilt will be at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.

ADM (31-9 overall) had no answer for North Polk during the regular season, losing 5-0 and 4-0. The Comets (37-5) swept through conference play with a 16-0 record, and hadn’t given up more than five runs in a single game all year.

Everything changed under the bright lights of Rogers Sports Complex, though.

Super sophomore Lauren Hagedorn did it all with the pressure on, setting the tone early with a solo home run off of North Polk junior and Drake University recruit Ava Husak. Hagedorn (19-6) also tossed six scoreless innings after allowing two early runs, striking out 10 during that stretch to give her squad the opportunity to pull away at the plate.

“I was just trying to get the energy up early,” Hagedorn said of her first-inning line shot over the right-field fence. “We wanted to get going right away and try to put the pressure on them. We’d seen Husak twice (during the regular season) and struggled against her, but I had confidence in our (collective offensive approach) this time around.

“This is amazing. We’re escstatic. We’ve stayed positive and supportive of each other and are playing with a lot of confidence right now.”

A two-run single from senior Aleah Johnson on a tough hop past the second baseman put the Tigers ahead to stay at 3-2 in the fourth. Leadoff batter Cameran Smith, also a senior, added an RBI double in the sixth.

“I was just crying coming off the field (afterward). Tears of joy,” Johnson said. “It’s such a great feeling. Our bats have been on fire, and the energy level has been exactly where we need it to be (this week).”

Husak (28-5), who had an earned run average under one and over 340 strikeouts before Wednesday, uncorked a pair of wild pitches in the seventh that allowed ADM to plate three combined runs and put the game out of reach.

“We fought hard, but we had mistakes and it’s hard to overcome that up here (in Fort Dodge),” veteran North Polk head coach Rick Dillinger said. “You have to give ADM credit. They made plays and took advantage of their opportunities.

“It is what it is. I’m still very proud. We’ll have everyone coming back (next year; the Comets have no seniors on their roster).”

Junior Lucy Lucas was 2-for-2 and reached base three times for North Polk, which will now meet North Scott for third place in 4A at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Iowa Central Field.

The Tigers, who blanked Fort Dodge 2-0 in the quarterfinals, now face the Wildcats for the 4A crown. The teams split their regular-season contests, with both games decided by a single run.

The RRC has at least one squad in the championship round for the 11th consecutive year.

“I can only think of one feeling better than this,” smiled Hagedorn, who walked three times after her homer — including two intentional free passes, “and that’s to win the whole thing.”

ADM 7, NORTH POLK 2

ADM 100 200 3 — 7 6 2

North Polk 200 000 0 — 2 4 2

WP–Lauren Hagedorn (19-6; 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K); LP–Ava Husak (28-5; 7 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 5 BB, 6 K). 2B–ADM: Cameran Smith; NP: Lucy Lucas. HR–ADM: Lauren Hagedorn. SB–ADM: Aniston Tollari, Aleah Johnson, Kaylee Smith.