The Ellsworth softball team achieved their first sweep of the season as they played host to the Russell Broncos April 7.
In game one, the Bearcats were in total control of the contest after a huge second inning, defeating the Broncos, while game two proved to be a bit more challenging, winning by a score of 12-10.
Russell jumped out to an early 2-0 lead to get the doubleheader started as they scored one run in the top of the first and another in the top of the second inning before Ellsworth took control in the bottom of the second. The Bearcats went from zero to eight runs in a matter of an inning, followed by adding six more runs in the third to maintain a dominating 14-2 lead, going into the fourth inning.
Following a one-run fourth inning for Russell, the Bearcats answered back, scoring three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 17-3.
In a last-ditch effort to keep the game going, Russell scored a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, but it wasn’t enough, as the game was called due to the run rule, as the Bearcats won the game by a 17-5 margin.
Senior Jo Lindsley and junior Karli Haase each went perfect in the batter’s box, with Lindsley going 4-4, knocking in a run and scoring three times herself, while Haase went 3-3, hitting a home run while bringing in another run and scoring twice.
Senior Lexi Moore led the team in total RBIs with four, while senior Kelli Rodriguez and sophomore Miley Rolfs each added a stolen base to their resume.
Lindsley was credited with the win in the circle as she struck out one Russell batter while only giving up five runs on six hits.
In the nightcap, it was a different story as the game came down to the last half of the final inning. Following a solo home run to center field from Moore earlier in the bottom of the seventh inning and the score tied at 10-10, junior Reygan Coonrod came up to bat with two runners on base. Coonrod delivered in a timely manner, hitting a two-run single to bring in both base runners as Ellsworth defended its home field and won the game 12-10.
When the second game started, Russell scored three runs in their half of the opening frame, which was answered by a four-run bottom half, as the Bearcats claimed the early 4-3 lead. Ellsworth then scored a single run in each of the second, third and fourth innings, to extend their lead to 7-3 going into the fifth inning.
Right when it looked like Ellsworth could put the game on cruise control and coast to another easy victory, Russell decided to shake things up by scoring five runs in their half of the inning and reclaiming the lead at 8-7. Following a scoreless Ellsworth half of the fifth, the Broncos scored two more runs in the top of the sixth to extend their lead to 10-7. The Bearcats answered by scoring one run in the bottom of the sixth, followed by four runs in the seventh to win the game.
Coonrod, Moore and freshman Cora Kyler were all perfect at the plate, with Coonrod and Moore going 5-5 while Kyler went 3-3. Coonrod, Moore and Kyler also tallied three stolen bases in the contest, while Rolfs added two more.
Senior Kelli Rodriguez earned the win for the Bearcats, pitching the final three innings.