Norris, Beatrice facing off again

SEWARD - As if one rematch wasn’t enough for the Firth Norris Lady Titans and Beatrice Lady Orange softball teams, the two squads will be playing for the second time in two days today (Friday) in the B-4 District tournament at Seward.

Norris defeated Beatrice, 3-2 in eight innings in the first round of tournament play Thursday, after falling to the Lady Orange during the regular season.

Beatrice rebounded by defeating Crete and Waverly in elimination games.

After defeating the Lady Orange, Norris took on Pius in championship bracket action, but fell to the Lady Thunderbolts.

Norris came back to defeat Fairbury in an elimination game, which set up another rematch with the Lady Orange.

Fairbury was eliminated with the loss, having fallen to Waverly in the first round of the tournament in extra innings.

The Lady Titans, 12-14, and Lady Orange, 19-9, will face off in loser’s bracket action at 1 p.m. today, while Pius will take on top-seeded Seward in the championship bracket final.

Winner of the Norris/Beatrice game will take on the loser of the Pius/Seward game at 3 p.m. in a final elimination game.

The winner of the Norris/Beatrice vs. Pius/Seward game will take on the winner of the Pius/Seward contest at 5 p.m. in district championship action. If the Pius/Seward winner would be defeated in the 5 p.m. game, a second championship game would be held at 7 p.m. in the double-elimination tournament.

Norris coach Gene Busboom said the victory over Beatrice was a “big win” for the Lady Titans.

“It was special, because there’s a little rivalry there,” Busboom said.

Busboom said it was a “hard-fought” game.

“We were able to take advantage of some of their mistakes,” Busboom said. “We also did a good job of running the bases.”

Overall, Busboom said the Lady Titans played eight “solid” innings of softball.

Beatrice coach Dennis Dodge said the Lady Orange “struggled” to plate runs against Norris.

“We didn’t do a good job of executing,” Dodge said.

Offensively, Dodge said the Lady Orange didn’t get down a couple of bunts they needed to get down to advance runners.

“Norris pitcher pitched a good game against us,” Dodge said. “She kept us at bay.”

Dodge said the Lady Orange were able to get some baserunners, but couldn’t get them around to score.

Facing off against Norris in the first round, Beatrice took the early lead in the game.

Alicia Armstrong reached on an error to lead off Beatrice’s at-bat in the bottom of the first inning.

Armstrong advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kayla Randel and scored on a double by Daleigh Fossler.

Neither team scored again until the fourth inning when Norris tied the score at 1-all.

Jesse Rohmeyer reached on a two-base error to start things for the Lady Titans.

Rohmeyer advanced to third on a groundout by Ashley Schroeder and scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Leah Harms.

Tied at 1-all at the end of regulation, the game went into the international tiebreaker.

Breanna Petersen started on second base for the Lady Titans in the top of the eighth inning.

Beatrice recorded to outs on a strikeout and flyout, but then Gretchen Kroese hit a sharp ball which resulted in a Beatrice error.

The error allowed Petersen to score from first base and left Kroese at second. From there she scored on a Beatrice throwing error as the Lady Orange attempted to cut her down at third base.

Petersen and Kroese’s runs gave Norris a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.

For Beatrice, Taylor Warren started on second base. She didn’t stay there long, however, as Armstrong doubled, scoring Warren and making it a one-run game.

Armstrong advanced to third on a stolen base, but was cut down at the plate as Beatrice attempted a squeeze play.

Randel reached first on the fielder’s choice, but was stranded there as the next two Beatrice batter were retired on a flyout and a foul out to the catcher.

Norris finished with three hits in the game, a single each by Kelsey Huenink, Ashley Schroeder and Tori Simpson.

Beatrice had four hits in the game, doubles by Armstrong and Fossler and singles by Chaley Hamilton and Abby Vitosh.

Huenink earned the complete-game win for Norris, while Liz Schwartz took the loss for Beatrice.

Huenink struck out 10 in eight innings, while Schwartz struck out six.

Waverly            1

Fairbury            0

Fairbury fell to Waverly, 1-0, in nine innings in the opening round of the district tournament.

Pius            6

Norris            5

Norris led 1-0 early against Pius, but the Lady Thunderbolts rallied and ended up with the 6-5 victory.

The Lady Titans scored on run in the first inning and held the lead until the third inning when Pius plated four runs.

In the fourth inning, Norris rallied to tie the score at 4-all.

Pius game back to score twice on a two-run home run in the fifth inning, while Norris was able to added a single run in the sixth.

“We fell behind 4-1, but got some key hits in the top of the fourth to get back in it,” Busboom said. “The two-run home run in the fifth, thought, was too much to overcome.”

Schroeder led the Lady Titan plate attack with a triple, while Rohmeyer, Ryleigh Sejkora, Tori Simpson and Gretchen Kroese had a single each.

Huenink took the loss for Norris, allowing four hits, while striking out seven.

Beatrice            2

Crete            1

Beatrice took the early lead against Crete, but had to rally to win the game after giving up the game-tying run to the Lady Cardinals.

The Lady Orange won the contest, 2-1.

After falling to Norris in their opener, Dodge said the Lady Orange came out “flat” against Crete.

“We made some mistakes early and didn’t play as well as we needed to,” Dodge said.

Dodge said Beatrice’s defense kept the Lady Orange in the game.

“Our defense was more solid,” Dodge said.

Beatrice scored on run in the third inning. Morgan Cullison led off with a single, advanced to second as Taylor Warren grounded out and took third on a wild pitch.

An infield single by Armstrong allowed Cullison to score the run, putting Beatrice up 1-0.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Crete tied the game with a single and double.

The score remained knotted until the top of the seventh when the Lady Orange rallied to score the go-ahead run.

Jina Hamm reached base on an error, advanced to second on a groundout by Cullison and stole third.

A Crete error on a ball hit by Warren allowed Hamm to score and put Beatrice up 2-1.

The Lady Orange were able to hold Crete scoreless in the bottom of the seventh for the win.

Armstrong led Beatrice at the plate with two singles, while Vitosh, Cullison and Hamm added a basehit each.

Vitosh earned the win, striking out five batters in five innings, while Schwartz picked up the save, striking out two in the final two innings.

Norris            2

Fairbury            1

Norris’ Lady Titans had to rally from a deficit against Fairbury to stay alive in the tournament.

The Lady Jeffs 1-0 after two innings, but Norris tied the game in the third inning.

In the fourth inning, the Lady Titans were able to plate the go-ahead run and then hold on for the win.

“We were able to lay down a couple good bunts and Fairbury didn’t handle them,” Busboom said.

Busboom said Petersen had a one-out bunt single in the third inning and Rohmeyer had a lead-off bunt single in the fourth inning. Both hitters eventually scored, accounting for the Lady Titans two runs.

Norris had four hits in the game, a single each by Huenink, Rohmeyer, Sejkora and Petersen.

Leah Harms earned the win for Norris, striking out six batters in 4 2/3 innings. Huenink earned the save.

Beatrice            6

Waverly            0

The Lady Orange blanked the Waverly ViQueens, 6-0, in their second elimination game.

After struggling to score runs in their first two games, Dodge said hitting “became contagious” for the Lady Orange against the ViQueens.

“We started hitting the ball hard,” Dodge said. “We gained confidence as we went along and hit the ball well.”

Dodge said it always seems to be “feast or famine” for the Lady Orange when it comes to scoring runs.

The Lady Orange played with a “sense of urgency” in the Waverly game, Dodge said, and were more aggressive at the plate.

Beatrice scored one run in the first inning as Randel singled and scored on an RBI single by Hamilton.

In the third inning, the Lady Orange added a pair of runs.

Vitosh and Cullison both reached base with hits and scored on a two-run single by Kylie Bartholomew.

The Lady Orange took a 4-0 lead in the fifth inning, scoring one run.

Cullison was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and took third on a single by Schwartz. She scored on a passed ball.

Beatrice finished off the scoring in the sixth inning. Randel singled and scored on a single by Fossler. After a single by Hamilton advanced Fossler, she scored on a groundout by Hamm.

Randel, Cullison and Hamilton all had two singles for the Lady Orange in the game, Bartholomew added a single.

Schwartz earned the win against Waverly, striking out eight.