The Kearney High School varsity softball team came home as the 2022 champions after the state tournament on Friday, Oct. 28 in Springfield, Mo.
The first game was against Warrenton on Thursday. The Bulldogs fought hard the whole game and came out on top, 6-3.
Highlights:
- Macy Morrow went 2 for 4 with 1 RBI
- Jadyn Barnes went 2 for 4
- Brooke Paalhar went 1 for 4 with 3 RBIs
- Elysia Hand went 1 for 3 with 1 RBI
- Alyssa Quick went 1 for 2, pitched 4 innings, allowed 4 hits, and struck out 4
- Kate Landewee pitched the last 3 innings, allowed 2 hits and struck out 4
KHS played Helias Catholic in the championship game on Friday. The Bulldogs struck in the first inning. Jadyn Barnes got on base with a bunt and then advanced to second by a throwing error. Brooke Paalhar then walked. Both runners advanced bases by a wild pitch. Elysia Hand then hit a sac fly to score Jadyn. Mackenzie Herndon got up to the plate and hit a double to right field on the first pitch. This scored Brooke. Bri Reynolds came in to run for Mackenzie.
Helias struck back in the bottom of the first and scored 1 run. Alyssa Quick hit a home run the next inning, putting the Bulldogs up 3-1. The Bulldogs scored 3 more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Alyssa Quick got hit by a pitch to put her on base. Kennedi Casey came in to run for her. Macy Morrow reached base on an error. Jadyn Barnes then got a single to make the bases loaded. Brooke Paalhar hit another bases-clearing double.
Helias came back in the bottom of the 4th inning and scored 1. In the top of the 5th inning, Jocelyn Lincoln singled, Macy Morrow walked, Jadyn Barnes had a sac bunt to move runners over, and Brooke Paalhar walked. The bases were loaded with 2 outs. Elysia Hand got up and hit a grand slam.
Helias never gave up. They scored 2 runs in the 5th and scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 6th. The Bulldogs went into the top of the 7th inning leading 10-8. Macy Morrow and Jadyn Barnes both got on base with singles. Elysia Hand hit a 3-run home run. Mackenzie Herndon came to the plate and hit a home run of her own. The Bulldogs allowed one more run and won the game 14-9.
“This team worked hard and played with real grit all season,” Head Coach Kately Birchfield said. “They’re a great example of what you can achieve when you focus and play as a team. I’m proud of them. They’ve earned this state championship and a place in the history of Kearney High School!”
Highlights:
- Jadyn Barnes went 3 for 4
- Elysia Hand went 2 for 3 with 8 RBIs (this sets a state record for most RBIs in a state game)
- Brooke Paalhar went 2 for 3 with 3 RBIs
- Mackenzie Herndon went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs
- Jocelyn Lincoln went 1 for 4
- Macy Morrow went 1 for 4
- Alyssa Quick went 1 for 3 with 1 RBI, and pitched 4 innings with 6 hits and 1 strikeout.
- Kate Landewee pitched 3 innings with 6 hits and 1 strikeout.
The following KHS softball players are also receiving All-Conference honors.
First Team:
- Jadyn Barnes
- Brooke Paalhar
- Alyssa Quick
- Kate Landewee
- Macy Morrow
- Elysia Hand
- Mackenzie Herndon
Second Team:
- Elise Arellano
- Ryleigh Van Emmerik
- Jocelyn Lincoln
Honorable Mention:
