Softball Loses Extra-Inning Battle Against Midland; Sets Up Elimination Game
(Fremont, NE) – In the GPAC final of the Midland Bracket, #8-seed Hastings lost a hard-fought 10-inning game in walkoff fashion, 5-4, to #1-seed Midland in a rematch of the opening round contest.
| Final (10) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 0 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 1 |
(Fremont, NE) – In the GPAC final of the Midland Bracket, #8-seed Hastings lost a hard-fought 10-inning game in walkoff fashion, 5-4, to #1-seed Midland in a rematch of the opening round contest. The loss is the first of the GPAC Tournament for the Broncos, allowing for second title game later tonight in the Midland Bracket to decide who moves on to the GPAC Championship on Saturday.
Midland scored first, coming in the bottom of the first, on a two-out single to right field with a runner on second to take a 1-0 lead. The Broncos loaded the bases with two outs in the next half inning, but the Warriors got out of the inning with a groundout.
Sophomore Sofia Carroll singled with one out, then with two out, senior Lauren Lee hit a ball past the diving Midland shortstop and the ball rolled between the outfielders until it reached the wall, allowing Carroll to score on the double. In the next at-bat, Pinneo flared a single into shallow right field, driving in Lee to go up 2-1.
In the fourth inning, freshman Jenna McClain led off with an infield hit by beating out the throw from the second baseman and was bunted over to second. Senior Katyn Kappler moved McClain up 60 feet on an infield single and Carroll brought McClain home on a sac fly to make it a 3-1 game.
Midland loaded the bases with one out in the third and scored a run on a base hit up the middle. Hastings traded a run for an out on the next play, as sophomore Graecy Graf fielded a ball at short and got the forceout at third as the tying run scored. A near identical play ended the inning, as Hastings kept the game tied.
The Broncos got the bases loaded in the seventh with one out and McClain drove in a run on an RBI-single, but Midland got the next two outs on flyouts to end the inning down only one. The Warriors used a two-out walk to turn into the tying run on an RBI-double, evening the game at four-all.
The game went to extra innings and Midland eventually won on a solo home run to walk it off in the 10th inning, 5-4.
Pinneo went 3-6 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored, while McClain was 3-4 with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored.
Sophomore pitcher Kassidy Beavers got the start, going 3.1 innings, allowing three runs on five hits. Freshman Jazlyn Moreno came in during the fourth and pitched 1.1 innings, giving up one run on one hit. Senior Kiera Brack pitched the final 4.1 innings, allowing one run on five hits.
Up next, Hastings will play at approximately 5:55 tonight against Midland in their second chance to advance to the GPAC final.
