Softball Run-Rules Sterling in Game 1, Falls in Second Game
(Sterling, KS) – Continuing their KCAC trip, Hastings took on Sterling on Tuesday afternoon. The Broncos ran away with game on, winning 11-1, before falling 7-6 in game two, coming up one run short in a four-run seventh inning.
(Sterling, KS) – Continuing their KCAC trip, Hastings took on Sterling on Tuesday afternoon. The Broncos ran away with game on, winning 11-1, before falling 7-6 in game two, coming up one run short in a four-run seventh inning.
Senior Katyn Kappler began the game with an infield single and with one out, junior Kaylee Pinneo reached on an error that went between the shortstop's legs. Senior Lauren Lee came up next and popped a high fly to left field that was dropped by the Warrior outfielder to load the bases. A walk by senior Ana Medeiros followed, then with two outs, Pinneo scored on a wild pitch to take a 2-0 lead.
The Broncos got five runs in the fifth, as Kappler led off with a single and freshman Jenna McClain tripled to deep left field to bring in a run. Lee walked and scored with McClain on a two-run RBI double by senior Lexie Mudloff, then freshman Raygan Hoos hit a shallow fly ball to center field to score Mudloff. Sophomore Carley Shaw came up with Hoos on second and drove her in on a base hit up the middle, making it 7-0.
Sterling got its first hit of the game with one out in the fifth on a double, which later scored on a two-out RBI single. In the sixth inning with Kappler and McClain in scoring position, Lee sent one down the left field line to score both of them. Later in the inning with the bases loaded an infield hit by Hoos, followed by a wild pitch scored the final two runs in the 11-1 win.
Kappler went 4-4 in game one and scored three runs. Mudloff also had a multi-hit game, going 2-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Lee and Hoos also drove in two runs each. Sophomore Kassidy Beavers pitched the first 5.1 innings without allowing a hit. She ended with only giving up two hits and one run in six innings, striking out one.
In game two, Sterling led off the bottom of the first with a triple that came around to score on a Bronco error to take an early 1-0 over Hastings.
Medeiros walked and McClain singled with one out in the second inning and Hastings tied the game on a Warrior error that was batted by junior Maggie McClain off of the shortstop's glove, scoring Medeiros.
Kappler led off the third with a double and scored three batters later on a Sterling error, putting the Broncos up 2-1. Sterling responded by scoring a run in the next half inning, getting the runner home from third on a Bronco fielding error to tie it at two. The Warriors added two more runs in the fifth and three runs in the sixth to take a 7-2 lead.
In the seventh inning, M. McClain hit a one-out double, then walks to sophomore Graecy Graf and Kappler loaded the bases. Walks by sophomore Sofia Carroll and Pinneo brought in the first two runs of the inning and a two-run RBI single by Lee cut the lead to one. Hastings grounded out in their final two at-bats, as Sterling held on to win, 7-6.
Lee went 1-4 at the plate with two RBIs and Kappler was 1-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Freshman pitched Jazlyn Moreno threw five innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits and striking out two.
Up next, Hastings will play a double-header at Kansas Wesleyan on Saturday, Feb. 21, starting at 1pm.
