When you have a seasoned, focused ballclub like Tom Bakey has with West Des Moines Valley, not much can bother them.

Holding a slim advantage here Wednesday at Rogers Park vs. Ankeny, the Tigers pounced following a lengthy rain delay, scoring a trip to the Class 5A finals with an 8-1 victory.

Top-ranked West Des Moines Valley (38-4 overall) will carry a 25-game win streak into Thursday’s 5 p.m. contest with Pleasant Valley back here on Channel Seed Field.

Ireland Broderick, one of seven seniors, connected for her first over-the-fence home run, while junior Mackenzie Mohler hit her second of the week. Mohler finished 2-for-3 with five RBI and Broderick had three hits and scored three times.

“Just an incredible moment for Ireland to do that here,” Bakey said. “She has put in so much time and work; it was a thrill to see that.”

Bakey, who earned his 1,000th career victory as a coach earlier this season, has led the Tigers to 18 state appearances and six titles, with the last coming in 2019. Championship No. 7 would place him in a tie for second-most all-time with Bill Hennessy and Jim White, six behind Dick Rasmussen’s mark of 13.

“What a lot of people don’t see is the thousands of hours that all these girls put into softball and sports,” Bakey said. “They work so hard and do all those extra things you ask of them.”

Marin Heller, a junior who has committed to Florida State University, collected two hits, scored twice and stole two bases for the Tigers. Kari Rose also had two hits, an RBI and stole a base.

Valley swept Ankeny during the regular season, 16-4 and 7-3, and also earned wins over fellow state qualifiers Dallas Center-Grimes, Western Dubuque, Pleasant Valley, North Scott, Urbandale, Waukee Northwest, Norwalk, Waukee and Fort Dodge.

Since the start of regional play, the Tigers have outscored their four opponents, 45-4. On the year, they have scored at least eight runs in 25 games.

Mohler tied the 5A record for RBI in a tournament at nine, a mark set by former Ankeny standout Kendyl Lindaman in 2012.

The Hawkettes (22-21) upset Waukee Northwest in the quarterfinals and will now face Urbandale in the third-place game on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. on Iowa Central Field. Ankeny has the second-most state appearances all-time with 29.

Abby Rusher had a home run and two hits while Kaylyn Miller also had two hits for the Hawkettes.

WDM VALLEY 8, ANKENY 1

Ankeny 000 100 0 — 1 7 3

WDM Valley 103 031 x — 8 10 3

WP–Alexa Stevermer (20-1, 7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 4 K, 3 BB). LP–Abby Rusher (15-11, 6 IP, 10 H, 7 ER, 2 K, 1 BB).

HR–A: Abby Rusher; WDMV: Mackenzie Mohler, Ireland Broderick. 2B–A: Avery Nelson; WDMV: Ireland Broderick. RBI–A: Abby Rusher; WDMV: Ireland Broderick, Kari Rose, Mackenzie Mohler (5). SB–WDMV: Mackenzie Mohler, Kari Rose, Ireland Broderick, Marin Heller (2).