YATES CENTER — Offenses were locked in on both sides Thursday as Crest and Yates Center High’s softball teams fought to a hard-earned doubleheader split.
The Lady Lancers picked up their first win of 2024 with a 17-14 win in the opener of their doubleheader Thursday.
The Wildcats did the same in the nightcap, withstanding a furious Crest rally in the top of the seventh to pick up their first win of the year, 14-13.
As could be expected, both teams had plenty of fireworks at the plate.
Aylee Beckmaon went 4-for 5 for the lady lancers in the opener, while Kaelin Nilges drove in four runs and homered. Kinley Edgerton, Cursten Allen and McKenna Powell each had a single and double. Delaney Ramsey singled and tripled. Brooklyn Jones singled three times.
Yates Center opened with a four-run first, but Crest responded by scoring seven in the top of the second. The Lancers pushed across two more in the fourth, but the Wildcats pared the deficit to 9-8 in the bottom of the frame.
Undaunted, Crest scored seven in the top of the fifth to put the game away.
Yates Center made things interesting with a four-run sixth.
Liliana Blaufuss pitched for Crest, allowing six hits over 4.2 innings with three strikeouts. Jones pitched 2.1 innings, allowing six hits with a strikeout.
Jayda Rice singled and doubled and scored four times for Yates Center. Lauren McConaghie, Cayten Cummings and Kinley Morrison all singled twice. Kamdyn Trahan, Peyton Petit and Wylee Shaffer also singled.
YATES CENTER broke open a close game with a five-run fifth inning. Two more in the bottom of the sixth pushed the lead to 14-8.
The Lady Lancers erupted for five in the top of the seventh. But Beckmon’s steal of home with two outs left the bases empty.
Yates Center’s Avery Eakin struck out the final batter of the game to secure the win.
She pitched a complete game for Yates Center, striking out 10 over seven innings.
Meanwhile, she was aided by Jayce Randall, Cummings and Morrison, all of whom singled twice. Rice and McConaghie each had doubles. Trahan also had a single.
Edgerton pitched the first three innings for Crest, allowing four hits with two strikeouts. Poell pitched a third of an inning, allowing a hit. Blaufuss pitched 2.2 innings, striking out two and allowing four hits.
