Games coming quickly for CCS softball team

    Five practices are all that remain for the Chase County softball team as its regular season comes to a close. With 11 games left, CCS will stay busy over the next two weeks.
    Last week, the Longhorns hosted Class B schools Gering and Chadron.
    The Longhorns came out on the short end of the stick against 18-6 Gering Sept. 14.
    CCS lost game one of the doubleheader 1-21.
    Ella O’Neil put the ball in play and came round to score in the second inning for Chase County’s lone run. Krista Meeske singled to advance O’Neil and the inning stayed alive thanks to an error on a Jaiden Hill hit. Annika McDaniel walked to load the bases before a fielder’s choice ended the inning.
    Gering scored nine runs in the first inning of the second game off of six hits, two walks and three errors.
    The Bulldogs added 10 runs on eight hits in the second, to go with three CCS errors, and two more hits in the Longhorns’ error-less third inning.
    Hill pitched for the Longhorns. The junior walked two and struck out two.
    Eight CCS errors in the first inning put the Longhorns behind the eight ball right from the start in the game two 2-17 loss.
    Chase County’s defense improved in the second inning. The Longhorns gave up six hits, but only had one error.
    CCS scored twice in the third inning. Hill and McDaniel were both hit by pitches and came around to score. Kayla Chavira and Jasmine Johnson each singled, but were stranded on third base and first base, respectively.
    Hill pitched once more, giving up three walks with one strike out.
    Chadron (10-10) came to town Friday.
    Smith felt like all three Chadron pitchers were hittable and CCS batters did a better job putting the ball in play during the doubleheader.
    The Longhorns trailed 0-2 after the first inning. After giving up three runs in the second inning, Hailey Markee walked and scored for CCS. Chase County was unable to take advantage of back-to-back singles by McDaniel and Alejandra Castillo, leaving the bases loaded.
    Three Longhorn errors helped Chadron shake loose for seven runs in the third inning.
    Two walks and a batter hit by a pitch set CCS up with base runners. A single by Hill helped score four runs, but two were left on base.
    CCS closed the gap to 9-13 in the fourth inning. After allowing one run, CCS scored four. Markenna Terryberry, O’Neil and McDaniel singled.
    Seven-straight Chadron singles to start the fifth inning put the game out of reach.
    CCS sat down in order to end the game, a 9-18 loss.
    Hill was hit by a ball early in the game, but battled through. Hill struck out one and walked three.
    Addison Leibbrandt played catcher for the first time in her career.
    It was tough for both, Smith said, but the pair did everything they could to keep CCS in the game.
    CCS gave up 12 runs on six hits and five errors in the first inning of game two.
    Jesusita Ruiz tripled and scored off a RBI single by Terryberry to lead off the game for Chase County.
    Chadron added seven runs in the second and three in the third innings.
    Though scoreless in the second inning, CCS scored Terryberry, O’Neil and Chavira in the third.
    CCS stranded six runners in three innings.
    Chavira and Hill walked five and struck out two.
Up next
    “The last two weeks will be hot and heavy with games,” Smith said, adding that cleaning up errors is important.
    CCS was at Cozad Tuesday and will see the Haymakers once more when the teams will be in Ogallala Thursday. Chase County will also face Gothenburg that day.
    Saturday the Longhorns travel to Yuma, Colorado for a second double header with the Indians.
    Next Tuesday, CCS will be part of a triangular with Southern Valley/Alma and Kearney Catholic at Stamford, then head back Sept. 30 to make up the Southern Valley/Alma doubleheader from Sept. 2.
    The regular season wraps up with a triangular in Imperial against Alliance and Chadron on Oct. 2.
    Subdistrict C-10 will be Oct. 4 at a site to be announced. Joining CCS will be Cozad, Gothenburg and Hershey.