A 3-1 start against tough competition is what Seward softball coach Shawn Carr wanted to see.
“I am very happy with where we’re at,” he said.
Seward opened its season Aug. 22 against the defending Class C state champion Ashland-Greenwood and came from behind to beat the other Bluejays 6-2.
After a Jeffi Schaefer home run in the third put SHS on the board, AG scored two in the top of the fourth. Seward retook the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth and extended the margin with three runs in the sixth.
Schaefer finished the night 2-3. McKenna Sides pitched all seven innings for the home Bluejays and struck out six.
“To beat them was huge,” Carr said. “We had some big holes to fill, so to beat a high-quality team was excellent.”
SHS was on the road Aug. 24 in the Freeman Invitational and finished second, going 2-1 on the day. Seward opened with a 9-1 win over Lincoln Northwest, beat Lakeview 10-0 and then lost to St. Cecilia 5-2 in the championship game.
Batting 1-2, the Frihauf sisters (Emma and Lauren, respectively) were a combined 6-6 with two RBIs and six runs scored against Lincoln Northwest.
“It’s fun and cool for them to bat back-to-back,” Carr said. “They’re the dynamic duo.”
Against Lakeview, Seward faced one of the better pitchers in the state and pounded 11 hits. The Bluejays stole 12 bases (led by Lauren Frihauf with three) to go with the hits.
In the circle, Sides and Tess Fisher combined for a perfect game – no hits, no walks and no runners reaching on errors.
“That was historic for us,” Carr said. “We’ve never had a freshman be part of a perfect game.”
Seward had chances to get past St. Cecilia in the final, but the Hawkettes made some great defensive plays that kept SHS at bay, Carr said.
“Credit Hastings St. Cecilia. They did everything right,” he said.
Schaefer hit her second home run of the season, a two-run shot, in the second inning.
The upcoming week is busy for the Jays (3-1). SHS is scheduled to host York Aug. 27, travel to Crete Thursday, Aug. 29, and host the Seward Invite Saturday, Aug. 31, starting at 9 a.m. Seward will play Centennial in the first game.
Central City, Fairbury, Grand Island Central Catholic, Bennington, Aurora and Elkhorn North round out the field.
