Softball Loses First Two Games After Extended Break

(Sioux Center, IA) – Playing their first games in almost three weeks due to the winter weather, Hastings returned to the field at Dordt's indoor facility, the American State Bank Sports Complex, to resume their season. Hastings dropped their first game, 5-2, to the University of Saint Mary, then lost 4-0 to William Penn in the late game.

Senior Isabel Tanabe led off the game against St. Mary with a single, then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. She came around to score on a base hit from senior Lauren Schneider to put Hastings up 1-0.

With one out in the bottom half of the first, Saint Mary earned a walk and stole second and third after a lineout to right. With two outs the Spires scored their run on an error by the Broncos to tie it up at one.

St. Mary's second run, which came in the third, also scored on a Hastings error after a one-out walk. The Spires also scored two in the fourth on an RBI-triple and a sac fly to go up, 4-1. They added one more run in the sixth on a two-out RBI-single to take a 5-1 lead going to the seventh.

Hastings made it interesting in the ninth, as after St. Mary retired the first two batters, junior Ana Medeiros was hit by a pitch and senior Lexie Mudloff doubled to right field to put runners on second and third with two out. Junior Sam Skinner recorded her team-leading third hit of the day with an RBI-single to center, cutting the lead to 5-2, but St. Mary ended the game with a pop-up to end it.

The Broncos had nine hits to the Spires' four, but St. Mary was able to capitalize on their four walks and three Hastings errors. Freshman Dani Sitts got the start, pitching four innings and giving up four runs (two earned) on two hits with three strikeouts. Senior Angelina Lockhart threw the final two innings, giving up one unearned run on two hits with one strikeout.

Against William Penn in their second game, neither team got a hit until the top of the third inning, when the Statesmen got the ball through the left side for a hit with one out. They followed that up with two more singles to load the bases, then after a flyout, they drove in two on a base hit. William Penn scored another in the following at-bat, a double to center, to go ahead 3-0.

Hastings got its first hit of the game leading off the sixth when senior Shey Storesund put down a perfect bunt to get on base. She later stole second with two outs to get in scoring position, but William Penn ended the scoring threat with a groundout.

The Statesmen tacked on a fourth run in the top half of the seventh inning by doubling to begin the inning, moving to third on a groundout, and scoring on a sac fly. Medeiros singled to start the bottom of the seventh to give Hastings some life with their second hit of the game, but William Penn closed it out by retiring the next three batters, winning 4-0.

Junior Kiera Brack pitched a complete game for Hastings, giving up four earned runs on seven hits, recording three strikeouts along the way.

Up next, Hastings will two more games at Dordt's complex, beginning with Mayville State at 2pm and ending with Dakota State at 6pm.