State softball: Highlights from all 18 games on Day 1 of the tournament
HASTINGS 鈥 Follow the action from the opening day of the state tournament in Hastings.
CLASS A
Opening round
Gretna 13, Norfolk 4: Carlie Muhlbach hit two home runs, and the undefeated Dragons scored in every inning of the five-inning game.聽
Papillion-La Vista 6, Millard West 4: The Monarchs' four-run third proved to be the difference, as Millard North hung around with 11 hits.
Lincoln Southwest 20, Bellevue East 3: The Silver Hawks made a statement, scoring 15 runs in the first inning to roll. Vivian Mares-Chippeaux had two home runs.
Millard North 12, Elkhorn South 9: The teams slugged it out with a combined 21 runs. Ultimately, the Mustangs held on behind a seven-run third inning.
Winners bracket
Gretna 13, Papillion-La Vista 0: The Dragons seized control early with a six-run first inning and didn't look back. Lily Rowe hit two home runs.
Millard North 10, Lincoln Southwest 2: The Mustangs erased any chance of a Silver Hawk comeback with six runs in the sixth inning. Jadyn Pokorny had a home run and four RBIs.
CLASS B
Opening round
Beatrice 17, Gretna East 9: Tatum Tempelmeyer's monster game of three home runs and nine RBI propelled Beatrice, which also got two homers from Brooke Gleason and one from Jada Berke. Tempelmeyer's three homers tied the state record, and her nine RBI were one short of the state record.
Blair 10, Seward 0:聽The Bluejays didn't have an answer for Blair's Brooke Janning, who fanned eight in the four-inning game. Laynie Brown hit a two-run home run for the Bears.
Hastings 6, Scottsbluff 5:聽Hadyn Laux's RBI groundout in the bottom of the sixth was the difference in a game that saw both teams have big innings of at least four runs.
Lincoln Pius X 9, GI Northwest 5:聽Kendal Heimes and Sydney Mennenga had extra-base hits for the Bolts, who overcame the two-time defending champions despite trailing by one run after three innings.
Winners bracket
Beatrice 5, Blair 3: Tana Antons broke a 3-3 tie with a home run in the sixth inning. Beatrice's Karrigan Henrichs threw a complete game.
Hastings 14, Lincoln Pius X 4: The Tigers took advantage of five Pius X errors and also did some slugging, as four different Tigers hit home runs.
CLASS C
Opening round
Bishop Neumann 9, NEN 5: Bridget Whitney homered as part of a three-hit day, and the Cavaliers rolled behind pitcher Addison Sylliaasen, who had nine strikeouts.
DC West 11, Fort Calhoun 0:聽Sydney Atkins was nearly untouchable, allowing four hits but striking out 13 batters in five innings.
Guardian Angels CC 12, Ashland-Greenwood 4:聽The Bluejays led 4-1 after three innings, but GACC responded with 11 runs over the next three frames to run away with a six-inning win.
Hastings SC 13, Aquinas 5: Brooke Bohlke's three-run home run in the first inning gave the Hawkettes the early energy they needed to notch an opening-round win.
Winners bracket
Bishop Neumann 6, Guardian Angels CC 5: The Cavaliers provided perhaps the most dramatic win of the tournament so far, scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh to win. Bridget Whitney scored the winning run on a passed ball.
DC West 11, Hastings SC 2: Bella Zach hit two home runs and drove in four to lead the Falcons, who scored 22 runs on 26 hits in two games. Not a bad start.
Check out the photos from the first day of the state softball tournament on Wednesday in Hastings.