Photo by Julie Vinsand, The Gowrie News: Eagle Grove’s Tarissa Middleton tries to slide under the tag of Southeast Valley player Lauren Eslick on Saturday in Eagle Grove.

EAGLE GROVE — The Eagle Grove softball team is one step away from their first state tournament appearance in 20 years.

The Eagles plated a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to edge Southeast Valley, 2-1, in a Class 3A regional semifinal here on Saturday night.

Crystal Flores scored courtesy runner Brylee Mrla with the winning run on a base hit to break a tie and secure the win for Eagle Grove (17-7 overall), which advances to face top-ranked Benton Community (30-7) on Tuesday night to advance to Fort Dodge and Rogers Park for state.

Senior pitcher Brooklyn Osborn fired a six-hitter for the Eagles, striking out six. Classmate Nadia Kaiser had the big bat to back up Osborn, recording three hits in as many at bats and driving in a run.

Junior Tarissa Middleton also contributed a hit, a walk and a run scored in the victory. Olivia Conaway and Lily Locke had the other singles.

The Jaguars (17-10) received a stellar pitching performance of their own from junior Chloe Lambert, who surrendered only two unearned runs and struck out six. Jordyn Rowley went 3-for-4 with a double and plated the lone Southeast Valley run.

Sophomore Rian Schlief added two hits, and senior Ellie Nolte walked twice. Alex Kitchen and Lambert recorded singles.

The Jaguars took a 1-0 lead in the first, but Osobrn kept them scoreless the rest of the way.