HASTINGS – The Broken Bow Spirit 18U softball team came up just short against Ponca 18U Saturday afternoon, falling by a score of 6-8 in their second game of the tournament after defeating the Nebraska Quakes to open play on Friday.
Broken Bow struck first in the bottom of the opening inning, spurred by a Cassidy Schweitzer triple. Ponca would take the lead back with a score in the second inning and two runs in the fourth to go up 3-2. Broken Bow’s Ruby Russell came across the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3, a score that would remain until the seventh inning.
The fireworks began in the seventh, with Ponca bringing in five runs on four hits to go up 8-3. Broken Bow would not go away, however, scoring three runs of their own in the final inning but falling just short.
Laney Holcomb started the game for the Spirit on the mound, giving up five hits and two runs with two strikeouts over three innings of work. After throwing a complete game on Friday, Lily Thornton pitched four relief innings surrendering six hits and five runs (four earned) with two strikeouts and two walks.
Offensively, Cassidy Schweitzer went 2-for-3, scored once, and tallied an RBI to lead the Spirit.
Broken Bow falls into the losers bracket, where they will face the Palmyra Panthers at 3:30 Saturday afternoon. The Panthers edged past Osmond 5-4 mid-day Saturday in the losers bracket after previously falling to Wakefield 1-9.
