Douglas County West sends Hastings St. Cecilia into loser’s bracket
Douglas County West didn't play like a team that was playing in its first state softball tournament.
The Class C, No. 5 Falcons went 2-0 on the first day of their very first trip to the state tournament, which included an 11-2 victory over No. 2 Hastings St. Cecilia Wednesday at the Bill Smith Softball Complex.
DC West got into its matchup with St. Cecilia after defeating No. 4 Fort Calhoun 11-0 earlier in the day. In fact, the Falcons were 0-3 against those two teams during the regular season and lost by combined scores of 34-15.
"We are a brand new team from those past teams," DC West coach Ady Watts said. "I think our mentality, mindset, and just the camaraderie that we have, we're a completely different crew. I've told the players that they are good and they are understanding that."
St. Cecilia coach Ryan Ohnountka agreed with that as the Hawkettes handed the Falcons an 11-1 loss in the York Tournament on Aug. 31.
"That team from Aug. 31 to now has gotten a lot better," Ohnoutka said. "They didn't look like that in the York Tournament. That's a credit to coach Watts. That's a much improved team and I think they can compete with anybody in Class C."
Centerfielder Bella Zach did most of the damage, both offensively and defensively. She led the Falcons by going 3-for-4 with four RBIs that included two 2-run home runs and a double. Defensively, she reached over the centerfield fence to rob a St. Cecilia home run in the first inning.
"She is a complete athlete for us. Bella's ability to be able to move and to get to all those balls, she makes it hard to let balls get past her," Watts said.
And it was Douglas County West from the get go. Zach was hit by a pitch on the very first pitch of the game, then Bailey Anderson reached on a double. Both runners came home to score for a 2-0 lead. The lead just kept growing as the Falcons finished with 15 hits with three two-run home runs.
Zach hit her second two-run home run in the top of the fifth to make it 9-0.
St. Cecilia finally got going in the bottom of the inning with two outs. Avery Kissing kept the game going with a two-RBI double to make it 9-2.
But Anderson increased the lead with a two-RBI double of her own to make it 11-2.
Kissinger led the offense by going 2-for-3 with the two-RBI double, while Kyler Weidner was 2-for-4.
Ohnoutka said it wasn't St. Cecilia's day but gave all the credit to Douglas County West.
"They came ready to go from the get-go. They hit the ball well. They spread it around and even hit with some power," Ohountka said. "That's a good team over there with some incredible athletes. They were a hard team to get out."
St. Cecilia earned its matchup with Douglas County West after defeating Aquinas Catholic 13-5 in six innings.
The Hawkettes took control in the third inning by scoring seven runs on four hits in turning a 5-4 deficit into an 11-5 advantage.
The Hawkettes had 13 hits with six players hitting two hits. Madison Bauer led the offense by going 3 for 4 with two doubles, while Brooke Bohlke was 2 for 3 with a three-run home run and had four total RBIs.
The loss to DC West sends St. Cecilia into the elimination bracket. The Hawkettes will play the winner between Ashland-Greenwood and NEN at 2 p.m. Thursday.
Ohnoutka said he feels confident St. Cecilia will show some resiliency in the elimination bracket.
"I know these girls will show up with a positive attitude. I have no doubt about it," he said. "Their backs are against the walls, especially the seniors who I know don't want to see their softball careers end. They will go out and give it their all and get to Friday."
St. Cecilia 13, Aquinas 5Aquinas;014;000-5;7;1St. Cecilia;317;101-13;13;1WP-Rossow. LP-Stutzman. 2B-AQU: Wollmer, Samek. HSC: Bauer 2, Musalek. HR-HSC: Bohlke.
DC West 11, St. Cecilia 2
DC West;221;220;2-11;15;1
St. Cecilia;000;020;0-2010;1
WP-Atkins. LP-Rossow. 2B-DCW: B. Zach. HSC: Kissinger. HR-DCW: B. Zach 2, Atkins.
