Jam packed season taking toll on CCS softball

Few high school sports teams have a schedule quite like softball teams do.
As the end of the season approaches, Chase County’s softball team is on the run as it prepares for districts. Last week, the Longhorns hosted Hershey Monday, then traveled to Cozad Tuesday, Ogallala Thursday and Bayard Saturday.
CCS lost the JV game at Cozad 0-13. Denisse Guillen and Alex Johnson each singled in the bottom of the third for the Longhorns’ only hits of the game.
The varsity game was also a 0-13 loss. Chase County struggled to get going at the plate with only two players putting the ball in play. Cozad (15-9) is 13th in the Class C point standings.
The Longhorns took on Gothenburg and Cozad at Thursday’s McCook double dual at Ogallala.
CCS played Gothenburg in its first game. The Swedes are 18-10 and 10th in the Class C point standings.
The bottom of the order had the most success at the plate for Chase County. Guillen walked, Kathya Aragon singled, prior to  leadoff batter Brooke Schilke hitting a single. CCS wasn’t able to bring anyone home in the 0-20 loss. Gothenburg came out swinging and had 11 hits in the game.
Schilke also had the Longhorns’ only hit, a single, in their 0-12 loss to Cozad.
CCS did a better job putting the ball in play at Bayard.
Five of Chase County’s six first inning batters made contact and the sixth walked. Schilke and Hailey Markee singled helping Schilke and Katelyn Stamm score in the first inning.
Athziry Valenzuela doubled and scored to give the Longhorns a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the second inning and Chase County trailed 3-6 going into the third inning. Iris Robles and Markee singled in the third, but CCS wasn’t able to add anymore runs. Bayard went off for nine runs to end the 3-15 Longhorn loss.
Head Coach Denise Smith said Chase County started off well and did a good job putting bats to the ball, only having two strikeouts.
CCS got off to a good start in the second game, holding Bayard to two runs and getting a single from Robles and double by Markee, but the Longhorns’ offense stalled with its only other hit coming on a fourth-inning single by Markee.
A big second inning by Bayard left CCS trailing 0-11 on the way to an 0-12 loss.
With games coming fast and furious, Smith said the wear and tear is taking its toll on the Longhorns. Several lower body injuries have slowed players down.
Looking over the schedule, Smith said few teams could handle the combination of practices and games in the elements, the constant stream of bus rides and the games that pile up each week.
This week CCS was in Alma Tuesday for a triangular with Kearney Catholic and Southern Valley/Alma.
Thursday the Longhorns will play a doubleheader in Holyoke.
Saturday will be a triangular in Alliance with the Bulldogs and Chadron.
Districts will be played Monday in Chadron. The schedule will be released Thursday.