Softball team finishes 1-5 in opening week of games

They played six games over four days. That’s the normal routine for the Chase County softball team’s opening week of play each fall. And after the six games last week, the Lady Longhorns came away with a 1-5 record. They took the win over Blue Hill, the first game they played in a triangular Aug. 22. Unfortunately, too many errors and failure to produce at the plate made it tough to win the rest of the week. While Coach Denise Smith said she may be a bit disappointed with her team’s opening week record, she noted they are a young squad with nearly everyone at new positions. She hopes they will continue to feel more confident in where they are positioned, and who’s playing the position next to them. She and Asst. Coach Jenna Vogt were going to switch a few positions around for play this week, from what the lineup was last week. “We have to continue to focus on what we do well,” she said. With concentration on specific areas at the few practices they now have between games, she’s expecting to see continued improvement. After hosting Holyoke, Colo., for a double-header Tuesday, Chase County returns to So. Valley for a varsity double-header today (Thursday). Both games are against the Lady Eagles, starting at 4 p.m. MT Perry, Okla., returns to Imperial this Friday for two games starting at 2 p.m. with varsity, followed by a JV game. The Lady Longhorns are back on the road Tuesday to Wray, Colo., where a varsity double-header starts at 4 p.m. Triangular Aug. 22 In their first action of the season, Chase County opened with a 7-3 win over Blue Hill at the Aug. 22 triangular in So. Valley. A big factor in the win was Chase County’s pitcher Sydney Vetter’s 11 strikeouts, Coach Smith said, as her team tallied just one hit, a single from Andrea Page. That was matched by three hits by Blue Hill, which also suffered with six errors. Both pitchers walked five of the opposing batters. Imperial scored a run in their first at-bat, adding three more in the third and three in the fourth. In their second game, Chase County and So. Valley were in the top of the fourth before a problem with the field lights caused umpires to suspend the game. The two teams finished the last 27 minutes of the game last Thursday, when So. Valley traveled here for a double-header. Chase County took the 10-1 loss. Chase County was held to just one hit in the game, while So. Valley racked up 11. Coach Smith said her batters had a hard time against So. Valley’s faster pitcher. Vetter was on the mound for Chase County, and collected three strikeouts and gave up five walks. So. Valley Aug. 24 Chase County lost both double-header games to visiting So. Valley last Thursday. The Lady Longhorns were blanked in the opener, 11-0, in a shortened four innings. So. Valley tallied 11 hits to just two for Chase County, singles from Page and Courtney Odens. Vetter, who was on the mound, struck out eight batters and walked six. To view more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. https://etypeservices.com/Imperial%20RepublicanID359/