LEBO — Yates Center High’s trek to the state softball tournament hit a roadblock Tuesday.
The Wildcats led Central Heights through three innings of their Class 2-1A regional final before the Vikings rallied late, scoring three in the fourth to take a 4-3 lead and then putting the game away with six in the fifth and seven in the sixth.
Yates Center’s 17-6 defeat ends the Wildcats’ season at 16-4. The Vikings took full advantage of five Wildcat errors, eight walks and 14 hits.
Four of the walks were in the first inning as Central Heights took a quick 1-0 lead.
But Yates Center pitcher Morgan Collins settled down from there, holding the Vikings at bay until the Wildcats’ Allie Chrisman delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the third. Callyn Miller’s RBI grounder later in the inning put the Wildcats ahead 3-1.
But a two-out walk, followed by an error, turned the tide in the Vikings’ favor in the fourth. A single and two-run error suddenly gave Central Heights a 4-3 advantage.
Yates Center promptly loaded the bases on singles by Emma Grogg and Grace Westerman with nobody out and a two-out walk to Molly Proper. But a pop-up ended the threat.
The Vikings then put the game away with a two-out rally, scoring six times before Yates Center could convert the third out.
The Wildcats didn’t go quietly. Allison Chrisman, Addie Solander and Miller each singled to load the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the fifth. Grogg followed with a sacrifice fly and Grace Westerman made it 10-5 with an RBI grounder before a strikeout ended the rally.
But Central Heights snuffed any hope for a comeback in the top of the sixth, scoring seven times.
Collins doubled in Proper for Yates Center’s final tally in the bottom of the inning.
Collins went 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and run for the Wildcats. Chrisman had two singles and two RBIs. Proper and Solander singled twice. Jones, Miller, Grogg and Westerman added singles.
“They were the better team,” Yates Center head coach Abbie Collins said. “They hit the ball very well. We left too many people stranded on base, and made too many mistakes to win.”
EARLIER in the day, Yates Center wasted little time in dispatching Lebo in the semifinal round, scoring 11 first-inning runs in a 12-2 romp.
Jones led off the Wildcats’ half of the first inning with a double. Collins walked and Chrisman singled, setting the stage for three straight run-scoring walks, an RBI grounder from Westerman, another walk to reload the bases, consecutive hit batters to make it 7-1, followed by two more run-scoring walks, a passed ball and Solander’s RBI single.
A walk and error accounted for Yates Center’s 12th run.
