Softball Drops Final Two Games at Friends Tournament

(Wichita, KS) – Coming in red-hot with an eight-game win streak, including the first two of the Friends Tournament yesterday, Hastings lost the opener to Avila and gave up a late to fall to Mayville State on Sunday.

Avila had their bats going early, recording four runs on four hits to take a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. They hit a one-out double that came around to score on a single, then with two outs, another double brought the second run in. The Eagles capped their inning up with a bang, sending a home run out to center for a 4-0 start.

The Eagles scratched a fifth run across in the second on a two-out RBI single to center. Hastings managed to get a run back in the bottom half of the inning, as juniors Lauren Lee and Ana Medeiros got on base with walks. Avila retired the next two batters, but freshman Sofia Carroll came through with a base hit to right, cutting the lead to 5-1.

Similar to the second inning, Avila got their run in the third with two outs, this time on a popup to short to go up 6-1. Senior Isabel Tanabe singled to lead off the bottom of the third and stole a base to get in scoring position for fellow senior Lauren Schneider, who drove her in and advanced to second and third on the play. Hastings appeared to be about to score more in the inning, but a lineout turned into a double play to end their momentum with the score at 6-2.

No score occurred again until the sixth inning when sophomore Kaylee Pinneo led off with a single and Lee skied one over the wall. Hastings later had the bases loaded with two outs in the inning, but Avila got out of the threat with a popup and a 6-4 lead.

Hastings had a great opportunity in the final inning on offense with a one-out single from Pinneo and a walk to Lee, but Medeiros' line drive was caught and Pinneo was called out on the play to end it, 6-4, and end the Broncos' eight-game winning streak.

Pinneo was 2-4 with a run scored and Lee was 1-1 with the two RBIs on the home run and three walks. Junior pitcher Kiera Brack kept the Broncos settled down nicely after allowing the early runs by pitching four scoreless innings to finish the game, allowing just two hits in that span.

In game two, Mayville State got two runs on four hits in the bottom half of the first. They walked and tripled to bring one in, then singled to get their second run. 

The Broncos got their first run in the third, as Schneider doubled with two outs and Pinneo got one through the left side to bring the runner home, cutting the deficit to one at 2-1. In the fourth, Hastings had runners on the corners with two outs, but the Comets got out of it with a strikeout.

The Broncos took a 3-2 lead in the fifth with a two-out single from Lee that was followed by a two-run home run by Medeiros, but Mayville State tied it up at three with a solo homer in the bottom of the six.

In the bottom of the seventh after a three-up, three-down top of the seventh, Mayville State loaded the bases with a single and two full-count walks after two outs to begin the inning. With a full count, the Comets ended the game with a walk-off single, 4-3.

Medeiros was 2-3 in the game with the two RBIs coming on the home run. Lee was 1-2 with a walk and a run scored. Senior Angelina Lockhart pitched six and two thirds innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and striking out five batters.

Up next, Hastings will host York for the home opener at the Smith Softball Complex on Wednesday, Mar. 5 beginning at 4pm.