Softball Upsets #1-Seed Midland In GPAC Tourney Opener
(Hastings, NE) – Taking on #1-seed Midland in the first game of the double-elimination GPAC Tournament on Wednesday, the #8-seed Hastings Broncos upset the Warriors, 3-1.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
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0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
(Hastings, NE) – Taking on #1-seed Midland in the first game of the double-elimination GPAC Tournament on Wednesday, the #8-seed Hastings Broncos upset the Warriors, 3-1.
In the second inning, sophomore Ana Medeiros drove a 3-2 pitch on the outer half of the plate over the right center field wall, giving Hastings an early 1-0 lead. Midland attempted to respond in the bottom half of the inning, as the first two batters reached safely, but senior pitcher Kiera Brack got a strikeout and a couple of flyouts to end the inning and maintain the one-run lead.
Sophomore Graecy Graf, who was 2-3 in the game, singled to start the third and went to second on a sac bunt. With two outs, senior Lexie Mudloff grounded a ball to short, but a high throw to first allowed Mudloff to be safe and for Graf to round third and take a 2-0 lead. Midland cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the third on a double steal with runners at the corners and two outs, as the runner at third broke for home after Medeiros attempted to throw out the runner attempting to steal second.
In the fifth inning, sophomore Sofia Carroll drew a one-out walk and after going to second on a ground out, she scored on an RBI-single lined to center by senior Lauren Lee, making it 3-1. Brack held Midland scoreless in the next two innings, allowing just one hit in each inning.
Midland's first two runners reached on a bunt and single to left in the bottom of the 7th. From there, Brack forced a fielder's choice, a pop up and a fly out to earn the 3-1 win. Brack threw all seven innings, allowing one run on seven hits, striking out four.
Up next, Hastings will play later today at 4pm against the winner of #4 Dakota Wesleyan and #5 Northwestern.
