Softball Clinches Postseason Berth for First Time Since 2017

Hastings, NE – The Hastings College softball team picked up a split with Jamestown on Saturday afternoon winning game one 11-3 (6 innings) before losing game two 16-9. With that split, Hastings has clinched a spot in the Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament for the first time since the 2017 season.

It would be a day of the long ball as a total of 10 home runs were hit on the day as the wind was blowing 20-30 mph out of the north straight out to left field.

It would be the Lady Broncos utilizing the long ball in game one as Katyn Kappler got a hold of one in the second for a two run blast and the early 2-0 lead. Two batters later, Rayleigh Guyer hit her first collegiate home run to left to make it 4-0. The Jimmies got one back via a solo shot but the bottom of the batter order struck again at Kappler singled home Lauren Schneider and two batters later, Guyer singled home Stuhr to make it 6-1.

If the fourth, Schneider went oppo for a two run home run as Hastings extended its lead to 8-1. After Jamestown picked up two runs in the fifth, Sydney Schelkopf ripped a RBI single to left to make it 9-3 in the bottom of the fifth. Then Schneider decided to end the game with her second oppo home run of the game with a two run shot to left in the sixth to walk off game one with an 11-3 victory.

Schneider led the way at the plate in game one going 2-for-3 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Guyer had herself a day going a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Lexie Mudloff, Stuhr and Kappler each finished with two hits.

Kyleigh Boever pitched a complete game 6.0 innings giving up three runs while scattering nine hits to earn her 11^th win of the season.

Game two was a slugfest from the word go as the teams combined for nine runs in just the first inning. Mudloff connected on a ball that cleared the left field fence for a three run home run to make it 4-3 and then Kappler and Guyer each picked up RBI singles to make it a 5-4 contest. But the HC bats would cool off as the Jimmies opened up an 8-5 lead through three innings of play.

Hastings stayed in the game when Kappler singled to center in the fourth to plate Mudloff and Macie Mays to make it 8-7 but then it was all Jamestown after that pulling away for the 16-9 win.

Kappler led the way in game two going a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBIs and a run scored. Mudloff went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Mays also went 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Schneider and Schelkopf each had a pair of hits in the loss.

Hastings is now 17-21 (11-9) on the year and will be back in action Saturday Apr. 29 hitting the road to take on Briar Cliff in a doubleheader with first pitch set for 1:00 pm in Sioux City, IA.