SIOUX FALLS, SD/HASTINGS – Pool play and opening round state competition opened Friday for two of the older Dirt Devil softball programs.
From the Sherman Softball Complex in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Dirt Devil 18s (14-10) began pool seven with a 2-0 win over Prodigy Nationals Thompson 18U.
The Dirt Devils began by scoring a run in the first inning. Following a trio of scoreless innings, the Dirt Devil 18s added one more run in the fifth to hold onto the 2-0 win and won the hit department, 7-3.
Rylin Hall singled, doubled and drove in a run while Delaney Kruse singled twice, drove in a run and scored.
Alexis Legler singled and scored as Jordyn Gamble and Kassidee Holz both singled.
Sammi Gubbels (79 pitches) picked up the complete game shutout victory in five innings allowing three hits while striking out nine batters and walking one.
The Dirt Devil 18s competed against South Dakota Lonewolf-Athletics at 8 a.m. and Kansas Heatwave at 2 p.m. both on Saturday. Both the A and B Division bracket games took place on Sunday.
From Hastings, the Dirt Devil 14s played two games on Friday during the Class C Nebraska Fastpitch Championships.
The Dirt Devil 14s (21-14-1) started with a 12-2 victory over Lady Rebels 14U before winning 8-7 against Nebraska Raptors.
In the win against Lady Rebels 14U, the Dirt Devils scored three runs in the first inning before using an 8-2 advantage in the third inning to lead 11-2. The Dirt Devil 14s scored once more in the fourth to win 12-2 and won the hit department, 11-4.
Kinnley McGuire singled, doubled, drove in two runs and scored; Kamden Dobbins doubled, drove in a run and scored twice; Anna Dutcher singled three times, drove in two runs and scored three times; Sidney Nelson singled twice, drove in three runs and scored as Gracelynn Daniels singled twice and drove in a run.
Abbey Shultheis singled; Elizbeth Hix accounted for three RBI and a run scored; Lilly Johnson scored twice as single runs came from Alivia Kesting and Kaylei McIntosh.
McGuire (61 pitches) picked up the win in three innings allowing two runs off four hits while striking out and walking two batters each. Johnson (20) worked an inning walking and hitting one batter each.
During the victory over Nebraska Raptors, neither team scored the first two innings. Nebraska Raptors took a 6-1 lead after the third inning which was followed by the Dirt Devil 14s using a 7-1 advantage in the fourth. Final favored the Dirt Devil 14s winning 8-7 despite being outhit 5-4.
Johnson, Dutcher and Hix all singled, drove in a run and scored.
Daniels singled and scored; McGuire accounted for a RBI and run scored; Olivia Brandow scored twice as Kesting scored.
Johnson (27 pitches) was credited with the win in two innings allowing two runs (one earned) off one hit while walking one batter. McGuire (37) started two innings allowing five earned runs off four hits while striking out two batters, walking three and hitting one.