Gretna's Alexis Jensen (99) celebrates a strikeout during the fifth inning of the Class A state softball tournament final against Millard North at Connie Claussen Field in Omaha on Monday.
NIKOS FRAZIER, OMAHA WORLD-HERALD
Gretna's Emerson Johnson (13) connects during the third inning of the Class A state softball tournament final against Millard North at Connie Claussen Field in Omaha on Monday.
OMAHA — Alexis Jensen floated like a butterfly around Omaha's Connie Claussen Field on Monday with 15 strikeouts. Her bat stung like a bee to lift No. 1 Gretna (38-0) to the Class A state title.
Jensen, a Husker softball commit, allowed just two hits in a 8-0 victory over No. 3 Millard North (31-7) and hit a towering three-run blast to complete the run-rule win and hand Gretna its first state title since 2015 and first in Class A.
The Gretna lefty ended her final at-bat the same way it began at Gretna — a home run.
“It feels amazing, especially being surrounded by this great group,” Jensen said. “Celebrating everything you do. To get that walk off it just felt amazing to have those girls come out and celebrate it.”
Fellow Husker softball commit Carlie Muhlbach also homered for the Dragons in the fifth inning. Gretna features three Husker commits with the addition of middle infielder Skarlett Jones.
“Carlie, she is amazing.” Jensen said. “Only being a Gretna for two years, she really put in that work and then all of the sudden chips fall and then we are on top. I just love that.”
The Dragons join Papillion-La Vista to go undefeated in a season. The Monarchs accomplished that feat in 2019 and 2020.
But it was the past two seasons that helped cultivate the Dragons ending up on to.
A 2022 runner-up finish in Hastings to the hands of Omaha Marian spoiled Gretna's perfect season. In 2023, it was Millard North that knocked the Dragons out of the state tournament.
“I'm just super proud of our kids,” Gretna head coach Bill Heard said. “I think it all kind of goes to last year. We faced some adversity and didn't play very well at the end of it. The kids kind of had a choice of either dig in or cut and run and boy did they dug in and have been about the right things all year long.”
The Dragons recorded the first nine outs behind nine Jensen strikeouts to really set the tone.
Once Jensen got in a groove so did her demeanor on the mound.
“I've always hid my inner energy,” Jensen said. “And then when it just came out I've always felt more comfortable. ... You step on the field between those lines you are Clark Kent. You throw off that suit. … I bring my energy everywhere.”
The Mustangs finished runner-up for the second time in back-to-back seasons.
“We made the mistakes we said we couldn't make,” Millard North head coach Travis Unzicker said. “We told them before this game that we couldn't make the mistakes, especially putting girls on in front of Muhlbach and Jensen. Unfortunately we did that and gave them free swings.
“We just told them we couldn't do that and it came back to hurt us, obviously in the last couple innings.”
Gretna has claimed more than 100 wins over the past three years to close out a wild ride for five seniors including the runner-up trophy in 2022.
“It was not a goal (going) undefeated, but it was a byproduct of their character,” Heard said. “They've worked really hard on that. They are closer and a more connected group than I've ever had.”
Photos: Sights from Day 2 of the Nebraska high school softball tournament — Oct. 17
Gretna's Alexis Jensen (99) celebrates a strikeout during the fifth inning of the Class A state softball tournament final against Millard North at Connie Claussen Field in Omaha on Monday.
Gretna's Emerson Johnson (13) connects during the third inning of the Class A state softball tournament final against Millard North at Connie Claussen Field in Omaha on Monday.