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Hoisington Cardinal softball places fourth
Kassidy Nixon pitches againts Russell.jpg
Hoisington High School standout pitcher Kassidy Nixon delivers against Russell on Wednesday. - photo by Hugo Gonzalez

BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

MANHATTAN – It wasn't the finish the Hoisington/Central Plains softball team imagined. The Cardinals pushed eventual 3A state softball champion Cheney in the semifinals before losing 8-7 to Haven for third place in the 3A state softball tournament. 

CHENEY 4, CARDINALS 2 (SEMIFINAL) – The battle of unbeaten pitchers swung Cheney’s way as the Cardinals edged past Hoisington 4-2 in Friday’s 3A state softball semifinals.

Cheney pitcher Korrie Lies (14-0) struck out 13 batters and yielded two runs on four hits. Red-hot Kadence Urban ripped a sixth-inning home run.

Hoisington's Kortney Lang singled and scored on Mollie Steiner’s seventh-inning groundout. Lang and Jordyn Boxberger singled to start the seventh inning. But Lies retired Ava Henry, Steiner and Gracie Aylward to end the ballgame.

Urban doubled to lead off the fourth inning, but Lies retired Kassidy Nixon and Kortney Lang on fly balls and struck out Shaylah Kempke to strand Urban.

Lies took matters into her own hands with a two-run homer to left field that also scored Kylee Scheer in the first inning.

Nixon struck out eight batters and kept it 2-1 until the sixth. Brooklyn Wewe and Alexis Lorenz hit back-to-back RBI singles to score Lies and Wewe for a 4-1 lead.

HAVEN 8, CARDINALS 7 (3RD) – Central Kansas League champion Haven rallied from a 7-2 deficit with a six-run sixth inning to steal the third-place trophy. 

Starting pitcher Nixon kept the Wildcats under control until the sixth inning. Haven's Maguire Estill ignited the rally with a home run. Brooklyn Barnett singled home Carlee Arnold after a double. The Cardinals misplayed back-to-back groundballs to give the Wildcats new life. Sadie Estill made the Cardinals pay with a three-run double for an 8-7 lead.

Haven's Brooke Brawner singled in BrieAnn Brawner and scored on a first-inning wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.

The Cardinals (20-6) controlled the game for 51/2 innings with timely hitting and baserunning. Ava Henry drove home Nixon with a groundball to start a four-run second inning. Mollie Steiner singled home Henry. Gracie Aylward 's triple scored Henry and Steiner for a 4-2 lead. 

The Cardinals added three sixth-inning runs. Nixon tripled and beat the throw to home on Boxberger's groundball. Shaylah Kempke scored on an error. Kortney Lang scored on Henry's groundout for a 7-2 lead.  

CHENEY 1, SILVER LAKE 0 (1ST) — Cheney third baseman Halley Jones relayed a throw from centerfielder Kylee Scheer as catcher Alexis Lorenz tagged out Silver Lake's Reagan Money at home to end the ballgame. Cheney's Jailyn Adolph ripped the game-winning sixth-inning home run. Cheney pitcher Lies (15-0) shut out Silver Lake on seven hits.

Hoisington 000 001 1 — 2 4 1

Cheney 200 002 x – 4 8 1

Nixon and Urban. Lies and Lorenz. W—Lies, 14-0. L—Nixon, 15-1. 2B—HCP—Urban; C—Lies. HR—HCP—Urban; C—Lies.

Hoisington 040 003 0 – 7 8 2

Haven 200 006 x – 8 9 1

Nixon and Urban. Brooke Brawner, Maguire Estill (7) and Barnett. W—Brooke Brawner. L—Nixon, 15-2. 2B—HAV—Sadie Estill 2, Yoder, Arnold. 3B—HCP—Nixon, Aylward. HR—H—Maguire Estill 

3A STATE MANHATTAN—1ST—Cheney 1, Silver Lake 0; 3RD—Haven 8, Hoisington 7; SEMIFINALS—Cheney 4, Hoisington 2; Silver Lake 7, Haven 3; QUARTERFINALS—Cheney 6, St. George Rock Creek 5; Hoisington 7, Holcomb 1; Haven 6, Prairie View 0; Silver Lake 7, Frontenac 6