Softball teams will begin State play Friday

HARTINGTON — It is time to see if the Hartington softball girls have learned from previous state tournament appearances.

A year removed from heading that way and learning the ropes during a quick trip, head coach Brice Grutsch will not only take back his 18s but the 12s will also be a state participant when the tournaments begin this week.

12U

A total of 17 teams are going to play at the Smith Softball Complex in Hastings with their opener set for 5 p.m. Friday against Prodigy Morgan on Field 3.

The tournament has a 3-game guarantee so a team could lose twice and still play one more game.

“As best I can tell, (Prodigy-Morgan) are a team from the Beatrice area with a .500 season record,” Grutsch said. “That’s about all I know about them. There isn’t much you can do scouting wise; film and stats just really aren’t available. We will just worry about ourselves and try to be playing our best during the tournament.”

A win would push the Penguins into a 3:30 p.m. Saturday contest, while a loss would mean another game later that first night at 8 p.m.

The title game is set for 3:30 p.m. “So, some extra motivation to come out on top our first game,” Grutsch said. “Besides staying out of the losers bracket we can get some extra rest by just winning that first game.”

The girls only practiced once last week due to the nation’s birthday and they worked on hitting off the pitching machine and sliding into bases as Grutsch noted the players’ reluctance to do so at times.

“Everyone hit pretty well off the machine and the more they slide into bases the better they get,” he said. “(This) week we will try and have two more practices that will cover all aspects of the game. We’ll keep working on hitting and base running but will get more defensive work in also. We’ll also have to make sure to keep emphasizing the importance of hitting. We have to be ready to swing at strikes.

“There won’t be as many free bases at state so you can’t rely on that for base runners.”

Grutsch is feeling good about his team’s chances to make a run.

“My only area of concern is trying to avoid playing tight and nervous,” he said. “If we can go play like we did during any regular season game, having fun and playing hard, we will be fine. If we show up like we did at districts (tight and nervous) we will struggle.

“From a coaching side you also haven’t seen or played hardly any of the teams you see at state so that little bit of an unknown can make you a little more nervous than usual.”

The 18s

The older girls are set for their first pitch in the 13-team Class D bracket 3:30 p.m. Friday on Field 1 against the Hebron Titans. A win sends them to an 8 a.m. Saturday game, while a loss would mean a 9:30 showdown that same day.

“They had their first practice after a week and a half off and I thought it was OK for a first practice back after a break,” Grutsch said. “We worked on fielding and batting and while I can’t say there wasn’t any rust, it wasn’t real bad either. We’ll plan on three more practices (this) week before we head to state.

“We have played three of the teams so there will be some familiarity if we happen to meet at some point.”

Grutsch admits not knowing much about Hebron but said he and the girls are more focused on themselves.

“I also feel good about the 18’s team as we head towards the state tournament,” he said. “When this group is on their game they are a really good team. We haven’t always shown it through the season but it’s been appearing more and more as the season progresses. This group also went to state last year so I think that’ll help us avoid some of the nerves that can come along with these games.

“We just need to concentrate on finding ways to make sure we aren’t rusty due to the fact we didn’t play much towards the end of the regular season. If we can accomplish that, I like our chances.”

Pitcher Alexis Hahne said she feels really good that she and the girls will bring back a better result than a year ago.

“We’re more confident at this state tournament and we think we will do really well,” she said. “Our hitting has really improved this year.”

The junior Hahne agreed with teammate Olivia Grutsch on the point the team’s bats were more reliable on days the players did not double up on other sports commitments.

“We were more worn out when we had basketball and volleyball leagues and practices.”

Hahne has been essentially the team’s ace and she is happy with where she is at after pitching since she was nine years old.

“I am more comfortable throwing my other pitches and threw them more often,” she said. “My offspeed pitches work the best – I have the most luck throwing those.

“I want to work on my rise ball (in the future) – it’s getting pretty good. I just don’t have the confidence to throw it all the time yet.”