HUMBOLDT — Prairie View High broke open a close game in the middle innings Tuesday, and in so doing, ended Humboldt High’s softball season.
The Buffalos erupted for eight runs in the top of the third, setting the stage for an 18-3 win in Tuesday’s Class 3A Substate Championship game.
The primary catalyst was the Vikings’ E Chambers, who blasted three home runs while driving in seven. Her two-run blast was part of a four-run Viking first inning, putting Humboldt in arrears early on.
The Lady Cubs responded to keep things close. Kirstyn Murrow singled to lead off Humboldt’s half of the first before she came around to score on an Emily Ross double. Morgan Sterling and Karley Wools added RBI singles in the bottom of the second to pull Humboldt to within 4-3.
But Chambers hit another two-run home run early on in the Buffalos’ next time at bat. Prairie View sent 12 batters to the plate in that half inning, bumping its lead to 12-3. K Gregg’s three-run home run in the fourth made it 15-3 before Chambers capped her memorable day with a three-run shot of her own in the fifth.
Humboldt, meanwhile, put runners on base, but had trouble scoring after the second. Ross went 2-for-3 with a double. Carsyn Haviland also had a double, while Murrow, Wools, Hunter and Sterling all had singles.
Brooklyn Ellis pitched the first three innings, striking out three. Shelby Shaughnessy struck out one over one inning. Wools pitched after that, allowing a hit in her sole inning of work.
“We had way too many errors, and they hit the ball well tonight,” Humboldt head coach Brad Piley said.
THE LADY Cubs were in the title game courtesy of a late rally earlier in the day to defeat Burlington, 11-4.
Humboldt trailed 4-3 going into the bottom of the fifth when Murrow hit a go-ahead two-run home run. Ellis followed with an RBI single to make it 6-4.
Wools, with a two-run single, and Ross, with her three-run blast, put an emphatic exclamation point to the game in the bottom of the sixth.
Ellis retired Burlington in order in the seventh to finish off her complete game. She allowed seven hits with two strikeouts.
Meanwhile, Wools singled twice and hit a double, while driving in three. Ross also had three RBIs, courtesy of her sixth-inning smash. Murrow had a home run, two RBIs, a single and a stolen base. Wools drove in three with her three hits, including a double. Ellis singled and doubled and drove in two. Shaughnessy chipped in with a double and RBI. Haviland, Hunter and Sterling all had singles.
“We played well against a good Burlington team,” Piley said. “Everything was clicking.”
The Lady Cubs lose the services of three key seniors in Ellis, Hunter and Murrow.
