Chase County softball battling injuries, illness as season progresses

    The Chase County softball team was able to stay at home last week, hosting three teams and picking up a win in the process.
    The new co-op between Colorado schools Wray and Yuma led to several changes to the Longhorns’ schedule.
    CCS picked up a 14-9 win in the first game of the doubleheader in Imperial Tuesday.
    Yuma County (2-7) scored one run in the first inning. Chase County was set down in order, but returned the favor in the top of the second inning before scoring two runs in the bottom half.
    After allowing three Yuma County runs in the third inning, CCS tied the game at four thanks to two runs.
    Each time Yuma County put runs on the board, the Longhorns had an answer. Yuma County scored two runs in the top of the fourth, while CCS added three runs.
    The fifth inning broke the game open. The Longhorns’ defense held Yuma County scoreless. Six Longhorns crossed home plate in their half to give CCS a 13-6 lead.
    Yuma County responded with three runs in the sixth inning. Jesusita Ruiz scored one run in the bottom of the sixth before Chase County held Yuma County scoreless in the seventh inning to seal the win.
    Jaiden Hill pitched the complete game, striking out six and walking three.
    Game 2 was a back-and-forth affair. Each team scored three runs in the first inning. Ruiz, Krista Meeske and Jasmine Johnson led off for CCS and scored.
    The Longhorns fell behind 3-10 after the top of the second inning, but responded with seven runs of their own.
    After giving up two runs in the third inning, CCS grabbed the lead in the bottom half with four runs .
    Chase County couldn’t hold on to the 14-12 lead. Yuma County doubled its run total in the fifth and sixth innings, leaving CCS with only runs by Johnson and Hailey Markee, on the short end of the 16-24 score.
    Hill once more finished with a complete game that included nine strikeouts.
    CCS Head Coach Denise Smith said Hill has done a good job keeping the Longhorns in the game.
    “She has really been working hard, in the heat and throwing a lot of pitches,” Smith said, adding CCS still needs to find its bats more and cut down on the number of errors per game.  
    “We have been getting pretty banged up the last few games and so there are a lot of girls with injuries,” Smith said.
    CCS hosted Hershey (4-14) Thursday.
    The Longhorns held their own through three innings. CCS led 3-1 after the end of the second inning. The Panthers scattered runs through the final five innings of the game while Chase County was scoreless through the middle innings of the 5-16 loss.
    In game two, CCS led 3-1 at the end of the first inning. Once more the Longhorns struggled to score runs as the game went on, leading to a 5-13 loss.
    Smith said CCS had way too many errors and not enough offense to pull out a win.
    “We had our chances but gave them too many extra outs and bases,” she added.
    Hill pitched both games.
    After hot weather earlier in the week, the Longhorns welcomed a cooler day Saturday when it hosted Gothenburg (12-2) for a JV/varsity doubleheader.
    The JV team lost its game 0-13 with Marley Randall on the hill. Smith said it was good for the JV players to finally have a game of their own and with  changes to the lineup continuing as players remained out with illnesses and injuries, to see some other players in varsity fill in.
    “Others are having to step in and figure things out quick,” Smith said.
    CCS lost the game 0-16.
    “I thought we did have some positive things on Saturday.  We still struggle to get a bat on the ball and put it in play so I hope this next week we will see some progress on that,” Smith said.

Up next
    The season continues hot and heavy this week. It started with a trip to Gering (6-6) Tuesday to a triangular that included Bayard (1-8).
    Smith said Gering is always tough and Bayard is new this year so you never know what to expect.
    Thursday the Longhorns will host Chadron (7-5) for a doubleheader.
    Next Tuesday CCS will host Cozad (8-8) for a JV/varsity doubleheader.