Softball Walks Off Dordt; Picks up Split
Hastings, NE – The Hastings College softball team picked up a much-needed conference victory on Friday evening after dropping game one to Dordt 10-1 but came back to walk-off the Defenders 2-1 in game two out at the Smith Softball Complex.
Hastings, NE – The Hastings College softball team picked up a much-needed conference victory on Friday evening after dropping game one to Dordt 10-1 but came back to walk-off the Defenders 2-1 in game two out at the Smith Softball Complex.
After scoring just one run on five hits in the game one loss to Dordt, Kyleigh Boever and the Lady Broncos made game two a fight to the final pitch.
Things took a very tough turn early in game one on a single by Lauren Steenstra as Aurora Tyson was trying to score from second but the throw easily beat her and she was tagged out by Taylor Stuhr. But the umpire had his arm up signaling obstruction as the throw took Stuhr up the third baseline. Regardless of the ensuing argument, Dordt held a 1-0 lead.
Hastings struggled at the plate until the fifth when Stuhr got things started with a one out double. After a groundout moved her to third, Boever helped her own cause ripping a RBI single to center to tie the game 1-1.
The game remained tied into the seventh when another questionable umpire decision went against Hastings when Tyson hit a ball to the fence in right and it appeared as though the ball went under the fence as Nicole Halsey put her hands in the air. Unfortunately, neither umpire saw her do this and it allowed Tyson to end up at third with a one out triple.
Hastings then decided to load the bases with walks to create a force play at every base and it paid off as Alyssa Villa hit a hard liner up the middle that Boever was able to get a bit of a glove on the ball deflecting it closer to Lexie Mudloff as she fielded the ball and threw out Tyson at the plate to keep it a 1-1 game. Then Boever got Brynn Torrenga to strikeout swinging to end the threat.
Stuhr would come up big again with a leadoff single to center and then moved into scoring position on the Katyn Kappler sac bunt. Boever followed suit with a single to center putting runners on the corners with one out. Isabel Tanabe then sent a fly ball to shallow right and after the ball was caught, Stuhr took off for home just beating the throw for the game winning run as the Lady Broncos poured out of the dugout to celebrate the victory.
Stuhr and Boever led the way at the plate going 2-for-3 as Stuhr scored both runs in the win. Boever went 7.0 innings giving up just one run while scattering eight hits and striking out eight.
Hastings is now 14-18 (2-8) on the year and will be back in action Saturday Apr. 13 as NAIA No. 11 Northwestern comes to town for a doubleheader with first pitch set for 1:00 pm out at the Smith Softball Complex.
