Kappler's Heroics Send Broncos to GPAC Tournament After Sweep of Doane

(Hastings, NE) – The Hastings College Broncos took on the Doane University Tigers in a senior night doubleheader, delivering an exciting evening of softball action. Hastings needed wins in both games in order to advance to the GPAC Tournament. Game one resulted in a 3-1 win and game two ended with a dramatic 8-5 Bronco win, coming on a three-run walk-off home run by junior Katyn Kappler. 

In game one, the Tigers struck first, putting a run on the board in the top of the second inning to take an early 1-0 lead off of a couple of Bronco errors.

The Broncos answered back in the bottom of the fourth. Junior Sam Skinner doubled down the right-field line, advancing to third on the throw, and senior Claire Kimbrough crossed home plate to tie the game. Moments later, senior Shey Storesund singled down the left-field line, allowing Skinner to score and give the Broncos the lead. The momentum continued when sophomore Kaylee Pinneo drew a walk with the bases loaded, allowing Storesund to come home and make it 3-1—the final score of game one.

Storesund made an incredible leaping grab to end the game by reaching over the fence and snagging a would-be solo home run to preserve the victory. Junior pitcher Kiera Brack had a terrific performance allowing just one hit, which came in the fifth inning. She had three strikeouts and needed just 65 pitches to get the 21 outs. Schneider led the Bronco offense with two hits and two walks in her four at-bats in game one.

In game two, the Tigers came out strong, scoring one run in the first inning, another in the second, and two more in the third to build a 4-0 advantage.

However, the Broncos mounted a rally in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Lexie Mudloff hit a towering solo home run, her first of the year, to center to lead off the inning. With the bases loaded, Pinneo hit a sharp grounder to second that got through the infield, allowing Schneider to advance to third, and score senior Isabel Tanabe and Storesund on the play. Junior Lauren Lee followed with a single down the left field line, allowing Schneider to score, tying the game at 4-4. 

The Broncos grabbed the lead in the fifth inning when Kappler scored on another Doane error, making it 5-4. With one out and runners on second and third for Doane in the top of the sixth, Hastings brought in Brack to pitch the rest of the way. The Tigers managed to tie it up again with a run on a bunt in the top of the sixth, but the Broncos had the final say.

In the bottom of the seventh, Kappler hit her first home run of the season, crushing a three-run walk-off homer over the right field fence to bring Mudloff and senior Nicole Halsey home. The late-game heroics sealed an 8-5 victory and capped off a perfect Senior Night sweep for Hastings.

Kappler was 3-4 at the plate in game two, scoring two runs with her three RBIs on the home run. Mudloff contributed two hits and two runs, including her solo blast, while Pinneo also had two hits.

The two wins put the Broncos (10-12) into the GPAC tournament as the #7 seed due to holding the tiebreaker over Doane (10-12) with the sweep. Hastings also had the same GPAC record and head-to-head record with Mount Marty (10-12), but had more wins against the top GPAC teams to secure their postseason berth.

Hastings, will first match up at #2-seed Midland, who they split with earlier this week, on Wednesday, April 30 at Noon, in the double-elimination tournament. With a win, Hastings would play the winner of #3-seed Morningside and #6-seed Dordt at 4pm later that day, whereas a loss would mean they would play the loser of Morningside versus Dordt at 6pm on Wednesday.