Softball Notches Convincing Wins Over Mayville State and Dakota State

(Sioux Center, IA) - Hastings bounced back well from yesterday with an 8-0 run-rule win over Mayville State on Saturday, then defeated Dakota State, 9-4, in their second game.

Junior Kiera Brack, who pitched the late game yesterday, got out of a two-on, one-out jam in the top of the first. That momentum carried over into the bottom half of the inning as senior Isabel Tanabe singled and stole second, then with one out, senior Lauren Schneider walked and junior Lauren Lee smashed a three-run home run to put Hastings up 3-0 early.

In the third inning, Lee hit a one-out double and after a walk by junior Ana Medeiros, senior Lexie Mudloff brought Lee home with a single to left. The Broncos loaded the bases with two outs and senior Nicole Halsey hit a grounder to third that led to the second run of the inning and a 5-0 lead.

Hastings added two more runs in the fifth by loading the bases with one out, thanks to two walks and an infield single. Mudloff got the third walk of the inning with the bases loaded to bring in Schneider and junior Sam Skinner scored Lee on a sac fly in the next at-bat to put Hastings ahead, 7-0 after four.

The Broncos ended the game in walk-off fashion in the fifth by run rule, as the first two runners got on to begin the inning. With runners at the corners and one out, sophomore Kaylee Pinneo drove one into right field for the game-winner at 8-0.

Brack pitched all five shutout innings by giving up just four hits and striking out five Comets, with only three runners getting in scoring position. Lee starred offensively, going 2-2 with the three RBI's coming on the long ball, and a walk. Tanabe, Mudloff, and Halsey also recorded two-hit games for Hastings.

Hastings kept swinging the bats well going into the second game against Dakota State right from the start. Tanabe singled and took second on a wild pitch, then advanced to third on a base hit from Schneider. After a walk and two groundouts that did not score runs, Mudloff came through with a two-run single. Skinner walked to load the bases again and junior Katyn Kappler put Hastings up 4-0 with a single to score two more runs.

After a scoreless bottom of the first from senior pitcher Angelina Lockhart, the Trojans got on the board with a two-out rally in the second that began with a walk that came around to score on a couple of base hits to center. Their second run came in the fourth, also beginning with nobody on and two outs. They doubled and scored after two consecutive singles to cut the lead to 4-2. With Dakota State threatening for more runs, Hastings turned to junior Bailey Schmit out of the bullpen, who got the Tojans to line out to left to end the fourth.

Hastings had a chance to add to their lead in the fifth and sixth innings, but left a total of five runners on base in the two innings. Dakota State scored two in the sixth, the first on an error and the second on a single to left to tie the game at four.

In the seventh, senior Shey Storesund reached first on a one-out error by the third baseman. Tanabe got one through the right side to put two in scoring position for Schneider, who scored Storesund on another base hit to right. Pinneo then hit a third straight ball single to left to score two and Lee followed that up with her second home run of the day, scoring two, to put Hastings up, 9-4, which held for the final score.

Lockhart allowed nine hits in three and two thirds innings, but only allowed two runs to score and had one strikeout. Schmit threw an inning and two thirds, allowing two runs on one hit, then freshman Dani Sitts then pitched a scoreless last inning and two thirds, while striking out two. 

Hastings out-hit the Trojans, 16-12, scoring all nine runs in the first and seventh innings. Tanabe was 4-5 with a run scored and Mudloff was also 4-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Schneider finished 2-4 with one walk, one RBI, and two runs scored. Lee was 2-3 with two walks, two RBIs on the homer, and two runs scored.

Up next, Hastings will play a double-header on Tuesday, Feb. 25 beginning at 1pm at Salina South High School.