The Eureka Tornado softball team faced a challenging week of competition, hosting Erie on Monday, May 4, before taking on Yates Center on Thursday, May 7, at home.
Eureka varsity fell to the Red Devils of Erie 9-14.
The Lady Tornadoes trailed 0-9 early before battling back with three runs in the third inning and another three in the sixth. Amorette Guillaume sparked the offense with an inside-the-park home run, while Taryn Burk added a run-scoring double.
Elaina Osborne led Eureka at the plate, going 3-for-3. Brooke Johnson, Guillaume, Madelyn Miller and Elyssa Wood each added two hits and Sadie Seiter and Burk each with 1.
Abbi Foth pitched all seven innings for Eureka.
The Lady Tornado junior varsity squad fell to Erie, 4-8.
On Thursday, the Lady Tornadoes faced a strong Yates Center team in another doubleheader.
Yates Center
In game, the Tornadoes trailed 1-5 after three before the Wildcats went on an 11-1 run in the fourth to pull away for a 20-2 victory after five innings.
Eureka managed one hit, a single by Miller, while Guillaume and Burk scored the team’s two runs.
Foth struck out six batters in the circle, and Johnson drew two walks to lead Eureka’s patient approach at the plate.
The Lady Tornadoes nearly completed an incredible comeback in the second game before falling 18-19.
After trailing by as many as 11 runs in the third inning, Eureka exploded offensively with seven runs in the third and eight more in the fourth to briefly take a 17-15 lead.
Baumgartel delivered one of the biggest hits of the game with a threerun double during the fourth-inning rally and finished with four RBIs.
Johnson and Guillaume each collected two hits, while Wood drew three walks. The Lady Tornadoes stole 14 bases in the game. Guillaume and Wenonah Welsh each scored three runs, while Miller, Baumgartel, Jersey Cox, Wood and Burk all crossed the plate twice.
Johnson started in the circle before Foth pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief and struck out five.
The Tornadoes traveled to Fredonia on Monday of this week to face the Yellowjackets in the final regular season double-header.
Eureka softball will compete in the 2-1A Regional 2, May 18-20. Seeding will be held on May 13 with the top 16 teams making the bracket. The quarterfinal games for 2-1A will take place May 18 or 20 at the higher seed. The 2-1A semifinals and finals will take place May 20 or 21 at the highest remaining seed (three games). Teams competing in Regional 2 action include: Burlingame, Central Heights, Chase County, Crest, Eureka, Flinthills, Hillsboro, Lebo-Waverly, Lyndon, Marais Des Cygnes Valley, Marion, Northern Heights, Remington, Southern Lyon County, Uniontown and Yates Center.
