Columbus High School senior Callen Heule hits the ball during a Discoverer home game against Lincoln Southwest at Bradshaw Park on Tuesday. Heule scored twice in the doubleheader loss to the Silver Hawks.
AJ STREETER, THE COLUMBUS TELEGRAM
The Columbus High softball team did not have the start to the season they had hoped for.
On Tuesday, the Discoverers fell to 0-4 after their doubleheader losses to Lincoln Southwest. The Silver Hawks won both games in four innings after a 14-0 run-rule victory in the opener and a 12-2 win in the second game.
“We’re not playing the way we play. We had practice the other morning because of the heat. It wasn’t a good practice and that definitely affected these games,” CHS coach Kelsey Plance said. “We were just dead. In the first inning of the first game we did some great things and were right on target, but then we made one or two mistakes and kept slipping.”
After the second series of losses in the doubleheader, Columbus now wants to reach its potential and set sail for the season.
“It’s about having confidence. We give them so many opportunities at practice that I hope it builds their confidence. And there are days where we have really great practices,” Plance said. “We have to go forward, not backward, and it’s about sticking together. We have to hold each other accountable, we’re a smaller group, we move people around and we’re still trying to find the right niche.”
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In both losses, Columbus’ defense had big problems with the Silver Hawks’ offense, which conceded 29 hits in the two games.
“Southwest is a great hitting team, we knew that going in. We just have to make sure we make the routine plays,” Plance said. “It comes down to communication and there were times when the balls just fell and we didn’t execute the play, same thing with the ground balls. We have to iron out those mistakes and make sure we communicate.”
Columbus High pitcher Liberty Bos throws a pitch during Tuesday’s doubleheader against Lincoln Southwest at Bradshaw Park in Columbus.
AJ STREETER, THE COLUMBUS TELEGRAM
Despite the total number of hits, Lexus Hill, Liberty Bos and Callen Heule showed off their skills in the pitching circle.
“Our pitchers did a great job. They gave us ground balls and popups that we were able to catch, sometimes we just didn’t,” Plance said. “They did a good job on the mound today. Our pitchers gave us the opportunity to do what we needed to do on defense and sometimes we executed and sometimes we didn’t.”
Columbus batters had five hits in the two games, with Heule leading the team with two hits. Hill, Gracie Bos and Bella Larsen each had a hit and Alayna Kudron finished with an RBI.
The Discoverers return to the field at Omaha Westside on Thursday hoping for a comeback game.
“We’re only four games in and if we keep going like we’ve been, it’s going to be a long season. I don’t think that’s going to be the case, I’ve got a great leadership team ready to take them forward,” Plance said. “I want us to play to our potential. I know what we’re doing right now is not who we are. I want us to put this behind us and move on, if we don’t, it could be a long season.”
Lakeview junior pitcher Cali Bentz throws the ball during the Lady Vikes’ home game against Grand Island Central Catholic on August 22.
AJ STREETER, THE COLUMBUS TELEGRAM FILE PHOTO
Lake view
The Lady Vikes hosted Schuyler on Tuesday night and beat the Warriors 18-1 in three innings.
Lakeview scored 12 runs in the first inning and added six more in the second to take an 18-0 lead. Schuyler scored a run in the third but could not extend the game.
Sophomore Julia Long led the Lady Vikes on the night with three hits and four RBIs. Abby Bird, Emma Glendy and Sydney Spohn also had multiple hits, with Bird having two hits and three RBIs while Glendy and Spohn each had two hits and two RBIs.
Cali Bentz and Mckinleigh Lotspeich each pitched for the Lady Vikes, with the duo combining for five strikeouts.
Lakeview is now 2-3 this season and plays again at Centennial on Thursday.
