The Wayne Dirt Devils 18-under softball team survived a must-win final game to claim the ASA Class C state title Sunday afternoon at Smith Softball Complex in Hastings.
The Wayne team won five straight games to reach the finals, where they suffered their only loss in a 4-2 loss to the Holdrege Force, who came from the losers bracket to reach the finals.
The first-game loss forced a winner-take-all second game, and Wayne posted an 8-2 win to take the title and end the summer season with a 33-13-1 record.
Wayne scored its only runs of the first game in the top of the first inning when Kierah Haase singled home Taytem Ellis and Liberty Titiml. Holdrege tied the game with single runs in the second and fourth, then scored two to take the win and force the second game as both teams had one loss in the double-elimination tournament.
Batting first again in the second game, Wayne broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the third. Holdrege got within a run with two in the bottom of the fourth, but Wayne responded with five in the fifth to put the game out of reach.
In the third, Wayne broke the ice when Caitlyn Mostek’s ground ball was mishandled, allowing Titiml and Rylin Hall to come home. On the next play, Haase singled to the left side of the infield and a throwing error brought Delaney Kruse home to score.
In the fifth, Titiml’s sacrifice bunt was thrown away, scoring Ellis all the way from first. Kruse followed with an RBI single to bring home Titiml to make it 5-2. Another Holdrege error scored Kruse and Sami Gubbels followed with a two-run single, scoring Mostek and Haase for the final runs of the game.
Wayne outhit Holdrege 10-3 in the finale, highlighted by Kruse’s 3-for-4 effort with two runs scored. Haase and Gubbels both drove in two runs and Titiml scored twice. Jordyn Gamble pitched the complete-game victory, scattering three hits and a walk while striking out three. Both Holdrege runs were unearned.
The Dirt Devils opened tournament play Thursday with a 9-1 win over Osmond. The Wayne girls broke the game open with four in the fourth and three more in the five, pounding out 13 hits in the first-round win.
Titml had three hits, including two doubles, to lead the charge. Haase and Jensen both had two hits and Haase and Hall each scored two runs. Gubbels struck out eight and scattered three hits in four innings to get the win, with Gamble working an inning of scoreless relief with two strikeouts and one hit.
The Dirt Devils continued to ring the bats with a 14-hit effort in a 13-1 win over the Nebraska Aftershock late Friday, racing to an early 6-0 lead after two innings on their way to the easy win.
Kruse and Mostek both had three hit in the win while Titiml and Haase had two hits apiece. Mostek and Haase both drove in three runs. Kruse and Mostek each scored three times while Ellis, Titiml and Haase each scored twice. Gubbels struck out five and allowed four hits in the win, while Gamble pitched an inning of scoreless relief.
The Dirt Devils continued their winning ways Saturday, starting with a 10-4 win over the Oakland Rockets. Wayne used a four-run third inning to take control of the game and outhit the Rockets 10-7.
Hall tripled, Kruse had two doubles and Titiml doubled to lead the 10-hit effort. Titiml, Kruse, Hall and Reagan McGuire each had two hits in the win. Haase, Hall and McGuire each scored two runs. Gubbels threw a complete-game seven-hitter, striking out three.
The Dirt Devils made it four in a row late Saturday with a 4-3 win over the North Platte Belles. Wayne had to come from behind in their final at bat, scoring two to get the win thanks to a two-out single by Haase that scored Titiml and Kruse with the deciding runs.
Ellis and Kruse both had two hits and Titiml scored twice in the win. Gubbels allowed eight hits and struck out four in the win.
Wayne advanced to the final with an 8-5 win over the Crete Diamond Crush. The locals built a 6-1 lead early and held off a Crete comeback to get to the finals.
Kruse had an RBI triple and Haase and Mostek both had doubles for the winners. Ellis and Kruse both had two hits and scored two runs, Mostek had two hits and two RBI and Jensen added two hits. Gubbels pitched the complete-game win.
