PRATT — The bats just weren’t firing for the Hoisington High School softball team in a Class 4A regional championship game against host Pratt.
The Lady Cardinals fell 5-0 against the undefeated Greenbacks on Wednesday.
“They’re left-handed pitcher gave us fits,” Hoisington head coach Lee Van Scyoc said of Pratt’s Brittnee Hill. “We were just having trouble with that fast lefty. When we did hit the ball, we were getting it out of the infield, but they played great defense. They didn’t have any errors in the game.”
Hill held Hoisington to only one hit.
In the fourth inning, first baseman Jennifer Hitschmann struck a double.
“We had one hit, a double,” Van Scyoc said. “We got the runner to third base, but we didn’t get her home. That was as close as we got to scoring.”
Pratt scored one run in each of the first five innings to accumulate it’s 5-0 advantage.
“I think if we’d played defense the way we can, they would have won 2-0,” Van Scyoc said. “We just couldn’t get the bats going, but we gave them three runs.
“They played great defense. You know, they say Pratt doesn’t beat anybody badly. They just don’t beat themselves. That’s exactly what happened. You have to play perfect and hope you can get some hits.”
Hoisington finishes its season at 16-7.
“It’s a disappointing way to end the season when you are so close to the state tournament, but I was very proud of the girls this season,” Van Scyoc said. “The senior leaderss will be missed.”
Pratt (23-0) will compete at the 4A state tournament at the Bill Burke Complex in Salina starting on Friday, May 25.

                                                       — Kevin Price

CLASS 4A REGIONAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

At Pratt

Wednesday

CHAMPIONSHIP
                      123  456  7         R    H    E
Hoisington    000  000  0  —    0    1    3
Pratt              111  110  x  —    5    8    0
     Bailey Barnard, Tana Hickel & Haley Acker; Brittnee Hill & Savanah Buntemeyer. W — Hill; L — Barnard. 2B — Hoisington: Jennifer Hitschmann; Pratt: Buntemeyer.