Both Blair and Fort Calhoun were eliminated from NSAA State Softball Championships competition Thursday.
Both Washington County teams finished 2-2 in Hastings after eight combined games in two days. BHS finished its season 31-9, while FCHS closed the fall campaign with a school record 27 wins and just seven losses.
BHS beats GINW, falls to Hastings
After a 1-1 start to Class B state play Wednesday, the Bears went 1-1 on Thursday.
Coach Jennifer Fangmeier’s team stayed alive first by eliminating the defending state champion Grand Island Northwest Vikings — who bested BHS in the 2023 title game — 6-3. Brooke Janning had 16 strikeouts in the win, while Taytum Macholan homered and Taylor Munger finished with a team-best two RBIs.
Then, against Hastings, the Bears lost 10-5. Janning still struck out 13 batters in the season-ending defeat, joining Regan Blattert in hitting a homer, too. Munger had an RBI as well as Blair finished within the top-4 of Class B for the third-straight season.
FCHS wins 2 before defeat
Coach Mandy Taylor’s Pioneers bounced back from a first-round loss in Class C with back-to-back wins Thursday.
The team that defeated it in the first round, however, beat Calhoun in the rematch Thursday evening. Douglas County West ended FCHS’ season, 12-3.
Before that, though, Calhoun’s Izzy Nolan, Allison Prunty and Addie Benoit homered to help push the Pioneers past David City Aquinas, 10-0. Dehlia Hallberg had three RBIs, too, as her team advanced to play West Point GACC.
Coach Taylor’s lineup beat the Bluejays, too, 6-3. Benoit and Izzy Greenough had two RBIs apiece during the victory, while Nolan and Made Larrick had one apiece.
Pitchers Anna Taylor and Tacey Belina combined for eight strikeouts in what would be the Pioneers’ final victory of the 2024 season.
For the full story from state softball in Hastings, check out Tuesday’s edition of the Washington County Pilot-Tribune. Coverage will also appear online at enterprisepub.com/sports that same day.
