The Class C No. 9 Fort Calhoun softball team earned its first Omaha World-Herald rating of the season Thursday after a 5-1 start.
Coach Mandy Taylor's Pioneers couldn't, however, keep up with No. 2 Wahoo Neumann on the same day. The Cavaliers (9-1 overall) outhit the home team 16-4 and left with a 15-3 win.
The four-inning loss dropped FCHS' season record to 5-2.
Neumann started its road victory with back-to-back doubles against Pioneers pitcher Anna Taylor. It pushed its lead to 2-0 with no outs before coach Taylor substituted in right-hander Lucie Larsen, who got out of the inning after surrendering an RBI single.
Calhoun's Kaylee Taylor responded to the 3-0 deficit with a first-pitch, leadoff single during the bottom half of the opening inning. She was left stranded on base, though, before the Cavs added six more runs during the second frame.
Later, trailing 12-0 in the the third inning, FCHS' Taylor Nolan, Kaylee Taylor and Izzy Greenough loaded the bases for Larsen. The junior batter took advantage, too, notching a two-out three-RBI double.
It was as close as the Pioneers would get, though, as Neumann added to its 12-3 lead with three more runs in the fourth inning.
Nolan finished the 12-run loss with a team-best two hits. Freshman Tacey Belina struck out three Cavaliers across 2 2/3 innings after relieving Larsen in the pitching circle.
Fort Calhoun was scheduled to host Elkhorn North on Friday and next competes 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Douglas County West.
FCHS SOFTBALL LINE SCORE
Thursday
No. 2 Wahoo Neumann 15, No. 9 Fort Calhoun 3, 4 inn.
WN (9-1) 3 6 3 3 — 15
FCHS (5-2) 0 0 3 0 — 3
