The Seward softball team had a tough draw at the Class B state softball tournament, but the Jays battled through and came up one win shy of playing on Friday.
Seward finished 2-2 for the tournament and 26-11 for the season.
“It was a good week,” Coach Shawn Carr said.
Seward opened against Grand Island Northwest and pitcher Ava Laurent Oct. 12. The GINW senior had Seward’s number, allowing zero hits in a 9-0 SHS loss.
“We had a couple opportunities,” Carr said. “We had a runner how had a good read on a bunt and thought she could go first to third. That took the momentum.”
The runner was thrown out at third.
In the consolation bracket of the double elimination tournament, Seward played Scottsbluff Oct. 13 and beat the Bearcats 12-2.
“We hit well and ran well,” Carr said. “Their pitching was the opposite of Northwest.”
Coral Collins was 4-4 with a double for SHS and stole two bases. Belle Herring drove in four runs.
The win put Seward in a matchup against Bennington, and the Jays edged the Badgers 8-7.
“It was typical of how we’ve played all year,” Carr said. “Bennington scored first, but we never panicked.”
Dalaney Anderson was 3-4 with a double, a triple and three RBIs for Seward. Danielle Pallet was 3-3 and scored twice.
In elimination game three, Seward came up against Elkhorn, and the Antlers took advantage of the wind. Carr said the wind wreaked havoc with fly balls. It was a struggle to read them, he said.
Anderson hit a grand slam in the bottom of the third to pull the Jays to within one at 7-6, but Elkhorn scored nine in the fourth to win via the run rule.
Lauren Frihauf, Collins and Pallet had two hits each for the Jays.
Overall, Carr was pleased with how the team played at state.
“We made plays down the stretch to solidify our place in the final four,” he said.
Seward will graduate two seniors – Tarryn Hartman and Ava Krahulik.
During the offseason, Carr said, he encourages the athletes to be involved in other things.
“In the summer we’ll get together and get to working on stuff,” he said.
He thanked the parents and community for all the support during the 2022 season.
