Fort Calhoun softball coach Mandy Taylor agreed.
Lasting six innings with the one-loss Yutan/Mead Patriots is nothing to “shake a stick at,” she said.
The Class C No. 1 Patriots won by run-rule Tuesday on the Pioneers' home field, 9-1. The run they allowed, though, was just the third they'd given up across nine September games.
FCHS (6-8 overall) lost, but it was still within 5-1 through four frames. What, though, can the Pioneers do to continue to close the gap against the top teams in Class C?
“Continue to work hard at practice and clean up that defense,” Taylor said. “Even tonight, we could have had a one-run ballgame if we would have had clean defense.”
Miscues in the field and errors cost Fort Calhoun, but starting pitcher Lucie Larsen did have the benefit of some strong infield play. Third baseman Bryanna Bender and shortstop Kaitlyn Welchert, in particular, successfully fielded grounders for outs throughout the game.
Bender, a freshman, excelled at third as she continues to become comfortable in the position.
“I think she, over the last few games, has gained a little bit of confidence and proven to us that she can do that,” Taylor said. “She's done a nice job of going after balls that maybe some others might not get.”
Welchert, meanwhile, scored the the Pioneers' lone run during the first inning, too. The junior was hit by a pitch and scored when Sam Brewer hit into a Yutan error in right field.
Overall, though, FCHS struggled against Patriots pitcher Shaylynn Campbell. Brewer was the only player with hits off of the right-hander Tuesday night.
“Sam's solid,” Taylor said. “She's determined. She's a competitor.”
The catcher hit a double to the centerfield fence during the fourth inning before singling up the middle of the field in the seventh.
“She definitely has that short, quick swing, which is a benefit against a pitcher like Shaylynn,” Taylor said.
Fort Calhoun was scheduled to play Arlington on Thursday and next competes Saturday at the Nebraska Capitol Conference Tournament in Scribner. It opens with a 12:30 p.m. game against Douglas County West.
The Pioneers, Taylor said, hope to continue improvements as the postseason approaches.
“We know what we need to do,” the coach noted. “It's just putting it into action.”
