Softball Gets Home Opener Sweep Of Peru State
HASTINGS - On a nice Friday afternoon, the Broncos softball team played host to the Peru State Bobcats, the first home games of the season for the Broncos. Behind a strong, overall performance, the Broncos would sweep the doubleheader, 5-2 and 3-1.
After the Bobcats would put pressure in the first two innings, the Broncos struck first in the second inning. With one out, Macie Mays walked, but got out on a Taylor Stuhr fielder's choice. Despite two outs, the Broncos persevered, as Katyn Kappler would get an RBI double to put the Broncos ahead, 1-0.
The Bobcats would answer with an RBI single in the third inning, then taking a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning off of a solo shot.
Peru State would not lead for long, as the Broncos came in slugging in the fifth inning, starting off with a leadoff single from Kappler. With two outs, and Kappler on third, the Broncos bats came alive, with five straight hits, including RBI hits from Sam Skinner, Lexie Mudloff, and two off the bat of Lauren Schneider for the eventual 5-2 victory for the Broncos.
Kyleigh Boever pitched all seven innings, allowing five hits, walking two, and striking out 11 Bobcats. For the bats, Skinner, Kappler, and Elana Gerhard all tallied two hits, and Schneider getting a team-leading two RBIs.
In the evening cap, the scoring started with two outs in the second inning. The Broncos would see Mays wear a pitch, then a fly ball to left field off the bat of Stuhr saw a Bobcat camped underneath, but would drop the catch, scoring Mays and putting the Broncos ahead, 1-0.
The scoring continued in the third inning for the Broncos, who had an errant chance at a second out by the pitcher, putting Broncos on second and third. Gerhard would hit a ball to third base, but the smart baserunning decisions allowed Rayleigh Guyer to score, and everyone reached their next base. Mudloff would also ground into a fielder's choice, but scoring Skinner.
The Bobcats would challenge in the seventh inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly, but Angelina Lockhart and the Broncos defense would leave the potential game-tying run for the Bobcats at first for the 3-1 victory.
Guyer, Gerhard, and Isabel Tanabe all tallied a hit in the second game, including two walks from Guyer. Lockhart would finish with five strikeouts.
The Broncos, who are now 6-10 on the season, have a couple days of rest before making a Spring Break trip down to Melbourne, Florida, for six games. The first game will be Monday when they take on SUNY Cobleskill. First pitch is scheduled for 10am CST.
