Game Photo courtesy of Tanner Colvin
Salina Central ended more than 30 years of softball futility against Salina South last year to claim its first-ever trip to the Class 5A state tournament.
On Tuesday, the unbeaten Mustangs got another monkey off their back by sweeping a regular-season doubleheader from their crosstown rivals at South High.
The Mustangs got a four-hit shutout from sophomore pitcher Sophia Johnson plus back-to-back RBI doubles from junior Lilly VanZant and Ellie Riekhof in the fifth inning to take the opener, 2-0, then came from behind twice to take the nightcap, 5-4.
With the sweep, Central improved to 8-0, South fell to 6-4.
First game: Salina Central 2, Salina South 0
In what was a pitchers’ duel between Central’s Johnson and South freshman Ella Chamberlain, the Mustangs final broke through with a three-hit fifth inning for the game’s only runs.
Paityn Berndt started it with a leadoff single, moved to third on a pair of ground balls and scored what proved to be the game winner when VanZant laced a two-out double to left center. Riekhof followed with a deep shot to left that bounced over the fence for a ground rule double.
The Mustangs had only one other runner reach third base as Chamberlain scattered eight hits over six innings while striking out two and not allowing a walk.
South’s only threat against Johnson came in the sixth inning, only to be thwarted by a Central defensive gem. Lennon Haas reached on an infield single, stole second and tried to score on Brylee Moss’ two-out base hit to left but was cut down at the plate on VanZant’s perfect strike to catcher Brooke Banninger.
Johnson allowed just four singles in her seven innings and did not walk a batter while striking out four.
Second game: Salina Central 5, Salina South 4
Central never led the second game until pushing across an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 4-4 tie.
Freshman catcher Caylie Kvasnicka led off the inning with a single and was replaced by courtesy runner Regan Kraft, another freshman. Hannah Peckham then laid down a sacrifice bunt and South’s throw behind Kraft at second was off the mark, allowing her to dash home with the game winner.
South struck first with a three-run third inning against Central starter Bailey Bruce, getting an RBI single from Delaney Harris, followed by a two-run double from Madelynn Werner, all with two outs. But the Mustangs answered with three of their own in the bottom half against South starter Paityn Fritz, getting two-out RBI singles from Berndt and Harper Turpin, plus a Charlotte Gordon double.
A leadoff error allowed South to regain the lead in the fifth inning when Harris’ base hit drove in pinch runner Maria Alcea-Martinez, but VanZant doubled home Gordon with another double in the bottom half.
For Central, Johnson came on in relief of Bruce with nobody out in the fifth and closed the game with three shutout innings for her second victory of the night. Nora Seay, who allowed just one earned run in 2 1/3 innings, took the loss.
