Lady Jays Softball
Pierce Competes at the GACC Tourney
By Avery Brunckhorst
The Pierce Bluejays took a trip to West Point for a softball tournament on Saturday, August 29, and while competing in three games against the Bishop Neumann Cavaliers, the Ponca Indians, and the Arlington Eagles, the Bluejays had two wins and one loss.
“The tournament overall this weekend went very well, we competed after losing our first game, and we came back and beat Ponca and Arlington,” junior Kinley Hilkemann stated. “Overall, everyone had good defense and competed really well at the plate.”
In the first game, Pierce competed against the Bishop Neumann Cavaliers with a final score of 10-1.
In the first inning, Pierce scored no runs, and the Cavaliers scored one, but senior Jessa Kraft made it on base by hitting a line drive to left field and making it a double.
In the fourth inning, Hilkemann was up to bat, hitting a line drive to left field, singling, while Kraft scored the first run for the Bluejays, and the Cavaliers ended up scoring five runs.
Ending the game in the fifth inning, the Bluejays and Cavaliers both scored no points, making the final score of the game 10-1.
In the second game, Pierce played the Ponca Indians, defeating them with a score of 19-4.
In the first inning, the Bluejays scored 18 runs, making a big lead over the Indians. Athena Bretschneider tripled on a ground ball, bringing senior Evelyn Skrdla and Kraft home.
In the Bluejays last game of the day they competed against the Arlington Eagles and picked up another win 13-2.
In the first inning, Pierce scored four runs while the Eagles scored one run. Junior Kaelyn Halsey singled on a fly ball bringing Kraft home.
In the third inning Pierce scored seven runs making a big lead over the Eagles. Freshman Abileen Bretschneider doubled on a ground ball to left field bringing Hilkemann and sophomore Eleanor Bauermeister home.
To end the game in four innings, the Bluejays beat the Eagles 13-2.
“I think we did better in the batters box, and it showed with our win against Arlington, but something we need to work on is our mentality in the dugout and on the field,” Kraft stated.
Catch the Bluejays next game at O’Neill 6:00 and 7:30 against the O’Neill Eagles and the Ord Chanticleers.
Pierce High Lady Jays Take On the North Bend Tigers
By Kolten Wragge
The Pierce High Bluejays took the field Thursday, August 27, against the North Bend Tigers, led by head coach Ryan Ohnoutka and assistant coaches Grant King and Mike Emory.
Junior Kinley Hilkemann was on deck when junior Maelee Hamilton hit a grand slam, propelling the team to a win. “It was a very exciting moment because it was her first time ever hitting a grand slam, and it gave us some energy going into the weekend,” Hilkemann said.
The game featured six action-packed innings, as the Bluejays run-ruled the Tigers. In the first inning, the Jays jumped to a 1-0 lead; with a scoreless second inning, the Jays gave up two points in the third, but matched the Tigers while putting up five more points.
In the fourth inning, similarly, the Jays allowed three points to be scored, but added four to their score. In the fifth inning, the Jays held the Tigers, but only scored two, taking the game into the sixth and final inning, where the Jays gave up one point, but scored two more points to win the game by the mercy rule, 14-6.
“Before the grand slam by Maelee Hamilton, it was a very back-and-forth game, but the grand slam helped give the team the momentum they needed to finish the game,” King said.
The Bluejays will play in the Boone Central tournament on September 5; wish them luck.
Softball Hits Home at Highway 91
By Payton Ebmeier
Highway 91 was not ready for the challenge the Bluejays were bringing. Softball traveled to Leigh, on August 25, to dominate the game with a score of 8-3 along with two home runs from senior Evelyn Skrdla.
“It felt pretty amazing to hit two home runs back to back, especially since it was the first two for our team’s season,” Skrdla said.
In addition to Skrdla’s home runs, she also hit a triple. Teammates Athena Bretschneider, Eleanor Bauermeister, Jessa Kraft, Kinley Hilkemann and Maelee Hamilton all hit doubles.
Junior pitcher Kaelyn Halsy pitched all seven innings, allowing only eight hits and recorded five strikeouts.
Softball ran the game against Highway 91 with the lead in all eight innings, yet there is still room for improvement according to their coach Ryan Ohnoutka.
“Executing with runners in scoring positions,” Ohnoutka states, meaning scoring runners when at bat.
The girls successfully competed against the Cyclones with many more wins to come. Make sure to catch the triangular at O’Neill on September 3.
