Fort Calhoun's lead-off hitter scored before a second Pioneer softball player saw a pitch against Raymond Central on Tuesday night.
Sophomore Kaylee Taylor hit the ball between Mustangs playing first and second base before it also got past the visiting team's right fielder.
“I had eyes on it the whole time, yeah,” the FCHS outfielder said.
She raced from bag-to-bag, making it home standing up for the Pioneers' first of nine runs against Raymond. They won 9-1 in five innings.
“It was a good win,” freshman Bryanna Bender said. “Defense played really well. Anna (Taylor) did amazing pitching and we hit very good.”
“Overall, we had really great energy,” Kaylee Taylor added.
In addition to her work in the lead-off spot, Fort Calhoun scored four more runs during the bottom half of the first inning. Kaitlyn Welchert scored on a wild pitch, Addie Benoit notched an RBI single and Bender knocked in two runs with a hit into the outfield.
The Pioneers led 5-0 and didn't allow the Mustangs any closer than 5-1.
“Starting out the game strong definitely helped us finish,” Taylor said.
Coach Many Taylor's team ended the Tuesday home game by run-rule when it scored four more runs during the fifth frame. Anna Taylor scored Sam Brewer with an RBI double before Benoit's ground-rule double plated her.
Bender then stepped up to the plate and bunted home the last two runners when Raymond Central committed a throwing error. The freshman said it was her first time ending a game in such a way.
“I don't usually bunt,” she explained.
The Pioneers were scheduled to play at Class C No. 2 Wahoo Neumann on Thursday and will next take the field Tuesday against Omaha Duchesne.
