Wild Doubleheader Ends in Split for Lady Broncos

The Russell-Victoria Lady Broncos softball team played two very different games in their doubleheader with Sacred Heart Tuesday afternoon at the Memorial Park Complex in Russell.

Pitching was the story of Game 1 as the Lady Broncos knocked off the Lady Knights 4-2 but sloppy defense was the rule in Game 2 as the two teams combined for 14 errors as Sacred Heart bounced back for a 20-10 win.

The Lady Broncos took an early lead in Game 1 with a two-out RBI double by Valerie Dome which scored Brooklyn Kuhn.  Then Russell-Victoria widened their advantage to 4-0 in the third inning by scoring three runs with two out on an RBI single by Dome and a two-run inside the park home run by Brooklyn Nowak, her first of the season.

Sacred Heart plated a single run in the top of the fifth inning and scored again in the seventh to pull to within 4-2 while placing the tying runs in scoring position with nobody out.  However, Kendra Bay (5-1) closed the game out by inducing a fly ball and striking out the next two hitters.

In the nightcap, Sacred Heart put up seven runs in the top of the first inning with the benefit of five walks, four with the bases loaded, and two errors.  They added five more runs in the top of the fourth frame for what seemed to be an insurmountable 12-0 lead.

However, the Lady Broncos then got off the mat, using infield bunts and agressive baserunning for a seven-run rally of their own in the bottom of the fourth.  Four runs scored on one play when Regan Betts tapped back to the pitcher with the bases loaded for a fielder's choice, but the Lady Knights ended up committing three errors allowing all four runners including Betts to score as Russell-Victoria sliced their deficit to 12-7.

Sacred Heart though responded with eight runs in the top of the fifth inning to lead 20-7 and it appeared they would close out the Lady Broncos in short order.  However, Russell-Victoria refused to quit, scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning, two of them on a two-run single by Taylor Powers.  Powers then stole second and third base on consecutive pitches and seemed poised to score to force the game into the sixth inning.

However Kuhn struck out to end the game and Sacred Heart (4-8) was able to earn a split and hand the Lady Broncos just their second loss of the season.

Bay (5-2) started Game 2 but was lifted in the first inning for Rylee Miller, but Bay had to return to the pitching circle from third base in the fourth when Miller took a line drive off her right shin and had to leave the game.

Russell-Victoria (12-2) is next in action on Friday, April 30 when they host Elllnwood in their final home games of the season which will also serve as Senior Recognition Day.  First pitch for Game 1 at Memorial Park is set for 4 p.m.

Both contests will be broadcast over the air on KRSL 95.9 FM and streamed online on krsl.com