SCORE UPDATES:
Seward 13, York 5 (Aug. 23)
Seward 15, Crete 8 (Aug. 25)
The Seward softball team opened the 2022 season on the road last week, falling at Waverly 9-4 Aug. 18 and then going 2-1 at the Freeman Invitational in Lincoln.
Coach Shawn Carr said he was pleased with the start of the season for the Bluejays. He said the team had chances to win against senior-dominated teams with its young players.
"We have to replace a lot of seniors," he said. "We have a ton of young players accepting their roles. It's a good group of kids."
The Jays came up short at Waverly 9-4. Seward led 3-2 after the first inning, but the Vikings scored five in the second to put the game out of reach.
SHS finished with seven hits, led by Lovely Hibbert and Jeffi Schafer with two each.
Makenna Sides struck out seven in four innings in her Bluejay debut. Tarryn Hartman struck out two in two innings of work.
The Jays defeated Lakeview 3-2 and Freeman 7-2 before falling to Wahoo 9-4 in the championship game of the Aug. 20 tournament.
Sides finished with 12 strikeouts in six innings against Lakeview. At the plate, Schafer and Coral Collins had two hits each, with Schafer hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning and driving in two in the game.
Coral Collins, Dalaney Anderson and Danielle Pallet had two hits each in the win over Freeman. Lauren Frihauf and Ava Krahulik each hit a triple in the victory.
Against Wahoo in the championship game, Seward led 2-1 after the second inning. Wahoo scored three in the third and two in the fourth to build a 6-2 lead.
SHS cut into that with two in the top of the fifth, but the Warriors scored three in the bottom of the inning to finish with a 9-4 win.
Anderson was 2-2 with a double to lead the Bluejay offense.
"The offense has been really good," Carr said. "We changed our approach this summer."
The Bluejays work hard and like to compete, so the goal is to put the ball in play, especially with two strikes, Carr said.
"It's a fun style of softball," he said. "We're not relying on one or two players. All nine can put the ball in play."
Although it's early in the season, the Jays are already dealing with some injuries, Carr said. Athletes have had to move to different positions on the field to cover for those who are out.
Up next for Seward (2-2) were a home game against York Aug. 23, a trip to Crete Thursday, Aug. 25, for a 6:30 p.m. game and the Seward Invitational Saturday, Aug. 27, starting at 9:30 a.m. at Plum Creek Park.
