Eagles softball swings to winning season
Even with cold wind howling through the Black Hills, causing Saturday’s games to be canceled, the Eagles softball team was able to get a hot start on Friday in winning two games against Western New Mexico, 11 to one, and Black Hills State University, eight to three.
After one inning of warm up where either team went scoreless, Chadron took off and scored eight of their 11 total points in the second inning. Three athletes had the majority of the scoring when they each had two runs batted in. Danielle L’Argent, senior infielder of Clovis, Calif., started the action off with a homerun in the second inning, and then had both her RBI’s in the second inning as well. Shea Graham, freshman infielder of Colorado Springs, Colo., had both of her RBI’s in the second inning, and Caity Pelayo, freshman catcher of Parker, Colo., had an RBI in the fourth inning.
Junior pitcher of Denver, Colo., Aryn Grywusiewicz stymied the Mustangs to only one run in five innings and sent four back to the dugouts as well. According to Head Coach Robert Stack, the win came as a result of all-around team effort.
“We have really been focusing on the idea that whatever success we are having, it is a result of us playing as a team,” Stack said.
Later that Friday, the Eagles started out slower against Black Hills, as the Yellowjackets led two to zero after five innings of play time. However, Chadron responded with four runs in the final two innings to seal the win.
Graham and Pelayo were key hitters as they each had an RBI once again. Katie Londo, senior first basemen of Brady, and Graham each had a hit as well.
The star pitcher in this game was Kylee Polsley, junior of Omaha, who totaled only 11 hits in seven innings and struck out six Yellowjackets.
This weekend Chadron travels to Lakewood, Colo., to take on a double header against Colorado Christian University. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday, and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday.
“We stress that we need to be mentally in tune to the game and to finish whatever number of outs needed to be successful at the end of the game,” Stack said.