The Class C No. 9 Fort Calhoun softball team lost a tough one to 16-5 Yutan/Mead on Tuesday.
The 8-6 defeat was tough because it came on the Pioneers' Parents and Senior Night, but also because of what it may mean for postseason standing in a few weeks' time.
“This one hurts, for sure, because the battle is really on from here to the end to get ourselves into a good position for the end of the season,” FCHS coach Mandy Taylor said.
The Pioneers were scheduled to face Arlington on Thursday and next compete Saturday during the Nebraska Capitol Conference Tournament in Syracuse. Coach Taylor's team opens the tourney against Raymond Central at 10:45 a.m.
“We're going to get back to work and get to it,” Taylor said.
Against Yutan/Mead, Fort Calhoun started fast. It led 5-1 after one inning, scoring on productive at-bats by Tacey Belina, Addie Benoit, Allison Prunty, Izzy Greenough and Izzy Nolan.
The home squad held an advantage until the top of the third inning when the Patriots scored five runs. A home run gave the road team an 8-5 lead.
With Belina keeping Yutan in check from the pitching circle, though, the Pioneers tried to claw themselves back into the game. Freshman Dehlia Hallberg plated her team's sixth run during the sixth inning with a single through the right side of the Patriots' infield.
From there, FCHS was unable to get the two more runs it needed to even the score. Prunty hit a Patriots pitch deep into the outfield to lead off the top of the seventh inning, but it was caught. Then, with two outs, Greenough doubled before the game ending flyout shortly thereafter.
After the game, the teams met in the middle of the infield as is Calhoun tradition before the Pioneers' seniors — Kaylee Taylor, Beniot, Sammie Ladwig, Lucie Larsen, Prunty, Anna Taylor, Riley Lingle, Aimee Boyd and Ashleigh Walls — were presented gift baskets on their night.
“We know what we've got and it's good,” Taylor said after the close loss. “These girls have never given up and never quit.”
FCHS SOFTBALL LINE SCORE
Tuesday
Yutan/Mead 8, No. 9 Fort Calhoun 6
YM (16-5) 1 2 5 0 0 0 0 — 8
FCHS (12-5) 5 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 6
