Beloit reaches state tourney for first time in school history

The Beloit Lady Trojans advanced to the 3A State Softball Tournament for the first time in school history after defeating the Hoisington Lady Cardinals by a score of 6 to 5 in eight innings.

Beloit advanced to the championship game after defeating Sylvan-Lucas/Lincoln by a score of 9 to 1 in the first game of the day. In the second game of the day hosting team TMP-Marian fell to the Hoisington Lady Cardinals by a score of 9 to 3.

Hoisington and Beloit have met several times during summer ball with an almost even record between the two. Both coaches respect the other side. Bailee Bacher of Hoisington started the game off with the first run in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the second Hoisington would surrender the lead. They allowed Beloit to load the bases with no one out. The Lady Cardinals got the leadoff runner Darby Odle out at third. Then a force at home recorded the second out of the inning. Jaimie Drum then hit a pop up to the edge of the infield. Bailee Bacher lined up under the ball, but it went off her glove. Paige Goddard and Sydney Barrett crossed home plate to score two runs and take the lead.

In the next inning, Beloit added to their lead on home runs by Karson Brown and Paige Goddard. The Lady Cardinals were not out of the game though. In the top of the fourth, Hoisington pulled back two runs. Kassidy Nixon hit a double that scored Trinity Dolezal. Jenna Urban added another run when she scored from third on a passed ball. Hoisington now trailed 4 to 3. In the top of the sixth inning, Kadence Urban and Brooke Steinert converted back to back one out singles into runs and retook the lead 5 to 4.

Beloit evened the score in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Jessica Meier reached base on a walk. She made her way around and scored to tie up the game at five runs each. Neither side added a run in the seventh inning.

So the game went to extra innings. Hoisington went in order in the top of the eighth. Beloit's Breanna Schroeder reached second base on a double hit to center in the bottom of the eighth. Two batters later, Darby Odle hit a single to bring Schroeder home and win the game 6 to 5.

Darby Odle also pitched the complete game for Beloit recording six strikeouts and one walk on twelve hits. "I don't even know what to feel right now," said Beloit Head Coach Tyler Odle. "That was an emotional wreck for me. When I saw Hoisington in our bracket, I knew that game would be a dogfight."

"Darby spins the ball well. She's not a strikeout pitcher," said Coach Odle of his pitcher and daughter. "She went to a pitch we normally don't use to try and get the ball down. I knew we had to make plays in the field because they would hit the ball. We play one pitch at a time and I'm proud of them tonight."

Hoisington finishes the year with a record of 17 and 4. Beloit will play in the state tournament in Emporia for the first time in the history of the school.