Thursday afternoon in Sylvan Grove, a local rivalry renewed as Ell-Saline and Bennington battled in the 2-1A Softball Sub-State Semifinals.

SEMIFINAL #1 – 5) BENNINGTON 7, 1) ELL-SALINE 2

Ell-Saline entered as the #1 seed in the bracket, posting a 14-5 record on the season, while Bennington held the #5 seed designation with a 9-12 record on the season. Ell-Saline defeated Sacred Heart 12-2 on Tuesday in the Quarterfinals, while Bennington outlasted #4 seed Little River 7-5.

Thursday’s contest was a pitcher’s dual early on, but the upset-minded Lady Bulldogs scratched across the game’s first run in the third inning, as a base hit turned to a runner thrown out at home plate, which then led to another runner tagged out between second and third base, but on the final throw of the play, attempting to snag an insane third out on the same play, the throw got away into the outfield and allowed the batter to come all the way around and score.

An RBI single in the fifth inning then pushed Bennington’s lead to 2-0, but the Cardinals would rally. Held without a hit through the first four frames, Ell-Saline would uncork three hits in the fifth to score two runs, but they would strand the bases loaded.

Both teams would then be shutout in the sixth inning before Bennington would take control.

A five-run seventh inning, capped off by a three-run home run hit by Claire Saenger put the Lady Bulldogs in front 7-2. Ell-Saline would put two runners on base in the bottom of the inning but would be unable to score, securing the Bennington victory.

LINE SCORE

BENNINGTON – 0 – 0 – 1 – 0 – 1 – 0 – 5 / 7

ELL-SALINE – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 2 – 0 – 0 / 2

SEMIFINAL #2 – 3) HAYS-TMP 15, 2) ELLIS 0

SUB-STATE FINAL – 3) HAYS-TMP 7, 5) BENNINGTON 3

In the Sub-State Final, Bennington’s upset bid would fall short, as a hot-hitting TMP Monarch bunch would use a three-run third inning to take the early lead.

Bennington would get one back in the top of the fifth inning, but TMP answered back with two more in the bottom half.

Then, in the sixth, Bennington would tack on a pair of runs, getting to within 5-3, but again TMP would have an answer, scoring two more and holding on for a 7-3 victory.

The Bulldogs would earn their three runs on just two hits, captializing on five walks and two Hays-TMP errors in the game. TMP would score their seven runs on 11 hits in the game.

Bennington’s season falls just short of the 2-1A State Tournament in Pratt, ending with a record of 10-13 on the season.

LINE SCORE

BENNINGTON – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 1 – 2 – 0 / 3

HAYS-TMP – 0 – 0 – 3 – 0 – 2 – 2 / 7