The Class C No. 10 Fort Calhoun softball team defended its home field Monday, winning the Class C-1 Subdistrict Tournament with victories against Syracuse and second-seeded Auburn.
The Pioneers routed the Rockets first, 10-0, before scoring 12 sixth-inning runs and topping the Bulldogs 15-2.
“Everyone did such a good job,” freshman pitcher Tacey Belina said. “I literally don't think we could have done anything better. Everyone just contributed their everything.”
FCHS' 21st and 22nd victories of the season secured a district finals spot. Win that best-of-three series matchup with Gothenburg — which starts 10 a.m. Saturday at Gothenburg — and the Pioneers advance to their first NSAA State Softball Championships in Hastings.
“We just want to make history,” junior Lucie Larsen said after her team's first postseason step toward that goal.
Though Belina struck out six Auburn batters during the first three innings of the subdistrict title game, Calhoun still trailed 2-0 as it found it difficult to find holes in the Bulldogs' defense. That changed during the top of the fourth frame, however.
With Sam Brewer and Anna Taylor on base, Belina notched an RBI double to pull the Pioneers within 2-1. A groundout later, senior Kaitlyn Welchert recorded a sacrifice fly to tie the game.
Belina later scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball, giving her a chance to log the victory in the circle.
“We just needed to stay focused,” she said of FCHS' start. “We just couldn't get down.”
Instead of getting down, coach Mandy Taylor's squad upped its lead during the sixth frame to put the game away. Izzy Greenough and Welchert reached base to start the runaway inning before Izzy Nolan plated a run with a deep fly into the outfield.
Kaylee Taylor singled next for the Pioneers, setting up Larsen with the bases loaded. The junior doubled, driving in all three runners for a 7-2 advantage.
“I think it pumped everyone up and they fed off that energy,” she said. “It just kept going after that.”
Brewer recorded an RBI single next before Anna Taylor's double, and Auburn's pitching change. Belina took advantage, cracking a three-run homer to highlight the offensive breakout.
“It was so good. It felt so good,” the slugger said before describing the Auburn pitch she sent over the outfield fence. “It was just outside and I was like, 'Wham! I can take that.'”
Kaylee Taylor, Taylor Nolan and Larsen turned three more sixth-inning swings into four more runs before the Pioneers recorded three outs during the bottom half for a run-rule victory.
Before the tournament-winning victory, though, the Pioneers bested Syracuse by 10 runs in their subdistrict opener. Brewer went 2-for-3 with four RBIs, while Greenough homered during the rout.
Larsen and Taylor Nolan had RBIs against the Rockets, too, and FCHS pitchers Anna Taylor and Belina combined for six strikeouts.
FCHS SOFTBALL LINE SCORES
Monday
No. 10 Fort Calhoun 15, Auburn 2, 6 inn.
FCHS (22-7) 0 0 0 3 0 12 — 15
AHS (15-9) 1 0 1 0 0 0 — 2
No. 10 Fort Calhoun 10, Syracuse 0, 4 inn.
SHS (5-19) 0 0 0 0 — 0
FCHS (21-7) 5 3 0 2 — 10
