PRATT — The Hoisington Cardinals were one out away from a perfect softball day.
But Pratt’s Jenna Fincham drilled a game-winning three-run homer for an 14-11 opening victory. Kassidy Nixon and Kadence Urban homered to spark the Cardinals to a 12-3 victory in Tuesday’s Central Kansas League nightcap.
Hoisington (5-1, 5-1 CKL) travels to perennial power Haven (4-2, 4-0 CKL) Friday.
PRATT 14, HOISINGTON 11 (G1) — Fincham capped a rally from a 10-2 deficit with a three-run homer off pitcher Taylor Boxberger.
Erin Jackson’s single scored Livia Swift and Brianna Cruz’s two-run double scored Dani Farr and Jackson for an 11-11 tie. Fincham hit a homer to centerfield after Kami Theis was intentionally walked to set up a force play.
The Cardinals led 10-2 after three innings. Kassidy Nixon, Kadence Urban, Riley Brungardt and Skylar Eidson delivered RBIs in a six-run second inning.
Pratt’s Swift doubled home Fincham and stole home in the second inning. Kadence Urban doubled home Boxberger and Brungardt singled home Nixon. Eidson’s double scored Brungardt and Bailee Bachar for a 10-2 lead after three innings.
Morgan Rogers hit a two-run double an Swift and Anahi Garcia delivered RBI hits in a four-run fourth inning.
Nixon’s fifth-inning homer gave the Cardinals an 11-6 lead.
HOISINGTON 12, PRATT 3 (G2) — The Cardinals built a 10-0 lead and dominated with five extra-base hits with 18 hits. Winning pitcher Nixon struck out nine batters and threw shutout ball for five innings.
Trinity Dolezal and Jenna Urban drove home first-inning runs. Nixon doubled home Jenna Urban and Kadence Urban followed with a two-run homer. Kenzie Wolf scored on a fourth-inning groundout for a 6-0 lead. Nixon’s two-run homer scored Jenna Urban for an 8-0 lead.
Jenna Urban and Nixon delivered RBIs in a two-run sixth inning. Eidson and Gracie Aylward added RBI singles in a two-run seventh inning for a 12-2 lead.
Hoisington 064 010 0 — 11 14 0
Pratt 020 402 6 —14 17 0
Boxberger and Eidson. Theis and Cruz. W—Theis. L—Boxberger. 2B—H—Eidson 2, Nixon, Kadence Urban, Bachar; P—Swift, Garcia, Cruz, Rogers, Fincham. HR—P—Fincham.
Hoisington 200 422 2 — 12 18 0
Pratt 000 002 1 — 3 4 0
Nixon and Eidson. Jackson and Cruz. W—Nixon. L—Jackson. 2B—H—Nixon 2. 3B—H—Jenna Urban. HR—H—Nixon, Kadence Urban.