The Fort Calhoun softball season ended Monday during the first round of the Class C Subdistrict 1 Tournament in Auburn.
The Pioneers fell to Syracuse 14-0, ending their season winless in 19 games. Even with those end results, coach Ginger Appel complimented her players for their effort during the fall.
“All the girls had a great attitude and worked really well together all season despite the challenges we faced,” she said. “They came to practice everyday to learn and improve their understanding of the game.”
FCHS' final game lasted just three innings as the Rockets notched 14 runs in just two. The Pioneers, meanwhile, failed to log a hit though Lucy Hubbard reached base on a walk.
Pitchers Katie Barta and Maddie Reed combined for three strikeouts in defeat as well. Appel named Barta and Reed as two of her team's leadership group this fall along with Kenzie Hansen.
“All three of them did a great job of encouraging their teammates to stay positive and to keep working hard,” the coach said.
Fort Calhoun's final loss ended Hansen's high school career as well as the tenures of fellow seniors Victoria Perez and Jessyka Winterberg.
“All 3 of the seniors joined us their sophomore year with not a lot of experience,” Appel said. “I admire that they went out of their comfort zone to give it a try and continued to stick with it all three years. They each improved every season and set a great example for the younger girls — to keep going even when you face challenges.”
The Pioneers' closest losses came Aug. 24 when they fell to Weeping Water 11-10 and last Saturday when they dropped a 17-14 game to West Point-Beemer.
