Lady Broncos Conclude Season in Class 3A Regional

GREAT BEND-The 2024 Russell-Victoria Lady Bronco Softball season drew to a close Monday evening with a 15-0 loss to Southeast of Saline in the first round of the Class 3A Hoisington Regional at the Great Bend Sports Complex.

Monday's games were originally scheduled to be played in Hoisington but intermittent rain showers through the morning and afternoon hours caused Hoisington officials to shift all games to the Great Bend Sports Complex which has turf infields.

Russell-Victoria (1-24) was the #8 seed taking on top seed Southeast of Saline, which the Lady Broncos had just faced in their regular season finale last week at Memorial Park.

The Lady Broncos got a one-out walk from Daryss Barerra in the top of the first inning but she was erased from the base paths when Caidyn Dinkel ended the inning by lining into a double play.  The Lady Trojans then plated eight runs in the bottom half of the first inning off Gracelynn Dinkel (1-6) with five of the runs scoring after two were out.

In the top of the second, Reyna Anschutz picked up what proved to be the only Lady Bronco hit of the game off winning pitcher Abigail Pearson with a one-out double.  With two out, Harlee Donovan drew a walk but Marissa Myers popped out to second to end the rally.   Dinkel kept Southeast of Saline off the scoreboard in their half of the frame by leaving the bases loaded.

After Russell-Victoria went in order in the top of the third, the Lady Trojans were able to trigger the run rule with a seven-run rally to end the game and the Lady Broncos' season.  Southeast of Saline (20-3) advances to the Regional Semifinal on Tuesday in Hoisington against Ellsworth which was an 13-3 winner over Minneapolis earlier Monday.  In the other two first round contests, Beloit downed Plainville-Stockton (Rooks County) 7-1 while host school Hoisington-Central Plains took down Smoky Valley 8-1.  Beloit will face Hoisington-Central Plains in Tuesday's second semifinal and the winners will play for the championship and the right to go to the Class 3A State Tournament in Topeka on May 23 and 24.

Monday's game was the last in a Lady Bronco uniform for graduating seniors Donovan, Hannah Gideon and Myers.