Seward’s softball team played well in a full week on the diamond, finishing with a runner-up plaque at the Crete Invitational Sept. 26 and a new single-season home run record.
The Bluejays beat Lakeview, Bishop Neumann twice and Aurora during the week and lost to Grand Island Central Catholic and Grand Island Northwest.
The week started with a 12-0 win over Lakeview Sept. 21. Coach Rich Eber said the Jays hit well and did what they needed to do to win. Hannah Benedict and Grace Hamling both hit home runs.
Neumann, Seward’s opponent Sept. 22, was in the top five in Class C, Eber said. SHS needed a five-run second inning to pull away.
During the game, Claire Geidel broke the school record for home runs in a season.
“She said it was a big relief,” Eber said. “We played really well against a good team.”
GICC stymied the Bluejay bats Sept. 24 in a 2-0 win for the Crusaders.
“It was a really good pitchers’ dual,” Eber said. “A tough call on a bunt went against us and that led to two runs.”
Sydney Parra was in the circle for Seward and struck out five over six innings.
The Jays started out sluggishly at Crete Sept. 26 before the bats got going in the fifth inning against Aurora. Geidel hit her 10th home run of the season, with Lauryn Parra and Dalaney Anderson also hitting home runs. Hamling and Geidel drove in three runs each.
The Jays played Bishop Neumann again in the semifinals and won 8-1. Eber said Sydney Parra pitched well again, striking out six in five innings.
Jayden Fernau hit her first home run of the season after shots by Sydney Parra and Hamling in the second inning.
The championship game pitted Seward against Northwest, and the Vikings got the better of the Jays 6-1, scoring all six runs in the sixth inning.
“It was a really close game,” Eber said. “A couple walks, hits and bunts and they put up six runs. We struggled to get going offensively.”
Seward had just three hits in the game, singles by Sydney Parra, Geidel and Jordyn Collins.
“Any time you go 4-2 in a week, I’ll take it,” Eber said.
Seward’s (16-7) last regular season game was at home Sept. 29. The conference tournament is set for Thursday, Oct. 1, at Lexington, with subdistrict play starting Monday, Oct. 5. Brackets had not been released at press time.
