Season getting busy for Storm Softball

The past week was a busy one for Storm Softball.

Last Friday, the Storm took three games from Ellsworth Community College.

Game one had Nicole Zelinski pitching the Storm to a 14-8 victory.

Game two had Megan Hartman pitch a 7-6 victory, and in game three, Melissa Foley pitched a one-hitter with a final score of 13-1.

On Saturday, March 7, the Storm travelled to Concordia, Kan., for the Cloud County Invitational.

Game one did not start out or end well with the Storm losing in five innings 9-0.

Megan Hartman had the only hit in a game in which all outs by the Storm were by strike out.

Game two had a rematch with Brown Mackie. The result was the same, a 13-4 loss in 6 innings.

Errors and bad at bats caused the Storm to fall behind not able to recover.

Game three had the Storm play Highland Community College. The team was playing better defense, but still slumping at the plate; the Storm lost 9-0 in 5 innings.

Sunday brought a different approach to the games. In game one, the team took on Barton Community College.

The Storm were able to start hitting and defense was strong, but after loading the bases in the bottom of the 7th, was not able to plate any runs and lost 6-3.

Game two had Cloud County take on the Storm. The game ended 3-0. Defense was starting to improve, and although we were able to hit the ball, we were unable to plate runs.

The team returned for a conference doubleheader with McCook Community College on Tuesday. Errors and bad at bats were the theme for the day which resulted in two losses, 22-4 and 14-2.

Wednesday brought the Hastings College JV team to Beatrice. Storm bats and defense came alive in a doublheader sweep. Nicole Zelinski pitched the win with Megan Hartman gaining her first save of the year.

The score was 8-5.

Game two had Megan Hartman pitch a complete game win, 17-8.

The Storm are 7 wins and 11 losses going into this weekend’s games on Saturday vs. conference rival North Platte on Saturday at 2 and 4 p.m. and Sunday against Central Community College at noon and 2 p.m.

Pitching records for the year are:

Megan Hartman at 3 and 3 with 1 save

Nicole Zelinski at 3 and 4

Melissa Foley is at 1 and 4

Megan Hartman leads the team in batting average with a 441 average with 26 hits 10 doubles and 2 home runs.

Melissa Foley is batting 395 with 20 hits, 9 doubles and 10 RBI’s; Kristin Thomas has a 375 batting average with 21 hits and 7 doubles; Ally Vrbas is batting 306; and Bailey Foulk is hitting 291 and has scored 19 times.

Team members hitting home runs are as follows:

Megan Hartman — 2

Melissa Foley — 1

Kristin Thomas — 1

Ally Vrbas — 2

Alexis Graewe — 2 with 16 runs scored

Callie Pinkham — 1

Nicole Zelinski — 1

Breanna Johnson — 1