The Blair softball team matched its school record for wins in a season Monday, advancing through the Class B-2 Subdistrict Tournament and into the district finals.
The No. 3 Bears beat Platteview and Omaha Mercy at the Youth Sports Complex, improving to 27-4 overall this fall. BHS previously won 27 games during the 2006 and 2009 seasons.
Coach Jennifer Fangmeier's team next competes in a Class B-2 District Final at home against Crete. The best-of-three series starts at 10 a.m. today with the winner advancing to the NSAA State Championships, which will be played Wednesday through Oct. 14 in Hastings.
First, though, Blair topped Platteview by run-rule Monday, 10-0. Nessa McMillen and Josie Ulrich highlighted the four-inning, run-rule victory with home runs. Pitcher Brooke Janning, meanwhile, earned the shutout.
Then, in the B-2 title game, the Bears topped Mercy 3-1. Junior Kalli Ulven claimed the pitching victory with seven strikeouts. Her team didn't score after tallying three first-inning runs against the Monarchs.
BHS' Leah Chance led off the bottom of the first frame with a single before Janning joined her on the basepath. McMillen walked, loading the bases for Claire Mann, who also walked.
Senior Tessa Villotta hit into a Mercy error for the Bears' second run before Joslyn Policky walked in another score for an early 3-0 advantage.
The Monarchs notched their own run in the second inning, but it wasn't enough to knock off BHS. Fangmeier's team goes into the district finals round having won its last 12 games, including eight against ballclubs with winning records.
