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Jun. 6—ABERDEEN — For the second time in four seasons, Castlewood stands atop the Class B softball landscape.
Behind a big third inning, the top-seeded Warriors took down No. 2 seed McCook Central/Montrose 9-2 in the Class B title game on Saturday afternoon at the Players Softball Complex.
Castlewood finished its championship campaign with a 21-4 record to become the first multi-time state title-winning program in Class B during the brief four-year history of softball sanctioned by the South Dakota High School Activities Association. The Warriors have played in the title game in three of the four seasons, also winning in 2023, the inaugural season.
MCM wasted no time striking first in the title tilt, as leadoff hitter Ella DeKnikker reached on an error and managed to score on a passed ball moments later before the game's first out was recorded. But from there, Castlewood was in control.
The Warriors promptly tied the game in the bottom half of the first inning. After the Fighting Cougars loaded the bases in the third but missed out on a prime scoring chance, the Warriors turned the tide firmly in their favor. Five extra-base hits, two singles and a hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the third snowballed into a six-run frame for the No. 1 seed.
MCM scratched across one more run in the fifth, but Class B's most potent offense was limited to just three hits off Castlewood pitcher Claire Horn, who surrendered seven walks but collected nine strikeouts to post the win in the circle.
Cydni Kudrna went 4-for-4 at the plate, including a double and a triple, scoring three runs and driving in one to power the Warriors' offense that notched 13 total hits, eight of which went for extra bases. Sophia Kudrna also had a double and triple for her two hits, and Lucy Jacobsen added two base knocks. Kayla Goens and Natalie Akin each had two runs batted in.
Mya Morrison, Ashtyn DeKnikker and Josalyn Traupel had one hit apiece for the Fighting Cougars, and Morrison also drew one walk. Cami McGuire reached three times via walk, and Brenna Bartlet walked twice. Zaidee Huls had two strikeouts and no walks allowed in a complete game loss in the circle.
MCM, which was making its Class B softball tournament debut, ended its season with a 22-3 record.
Placement round scores
Championship: Castlewood 9, McCook Central/Montrose 2
Third place: Gayville-Volin 7, Hanson 0
Fifth place: Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy 9, Redfield 3
Seventh place: Avon 13, Florence/Henry 3
All-tournament team
Castlewood: Cydni Kudrna, jr.; Claire Horn, so.; Sophia Kudrna, so.; Natalie Akin, sr.
McCook Central/Montrose: Mya Morrison, jr.; Ashtyn DeKnikker, sr.; Zaidee Huls, sr.
Gayville-Volin: Paisley Dimmer, so.; Jolie Westrum, jr.
Hanson: Jozlynn Tegethoff, jr.; Jacey Schoenrock, jr.
Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy: Claire Loofbourrow, jr.; Harli Ross, jr.
Redfield: Kinley Smith, sr.
Avon: Kaydence Metzger, so.
Florence/Henry: Elizabeth Reiter, sr.
Continue reading...
Behind a big third inning, the top-seeded Warriors took down No. 2 seed McCook Central/Montrose 9-2 in the Class B title game on Saturday afternoon at the Players Softball Complex.
Castlewood finished its championship campaign with a 21-4 record to become the first multi-time state title-winning program in Class B during the brief four-year history of softball sanctioned by the South Dakota High School Activities Association. The Warriors have played in the title game in three of the four seasons, also winning in 2023, the inaugural season.
MCM wasted no time striking first in the title tilt, as leadoff hitter Ella DeKnikker reached on an error and managed to score on a passed ball moments later before the game's first out was recorded. But from there, Castlewood was in control.
The Warriors promptly tied the game in the bottom half of the first inning. After the Fighting Cougars loaded the bases in the third but missed out on a prime scoring chance, the Warriors turned the tide firmly in their favor. Five extra-base hits, two singles and a hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the third snowballed into a six-run frame for the No. 1 seed.
MCM scratched across one more run in the fifth, but Class B's most potent offense was limited to just three hits off Castlewood pitcher Claire Horn, who surrendered seven walks but collected nine strikeouts to post the win in the circle.
Cydni Kudrna went 4-for-4 at the plate, including a double and a triple, scoring three runs and driving in one to power the Warriors' offense that notched 13 total hits, eight of which went for extra bases. Sophia Kudrna also had a double and triple for her two hits, and Lucy Jacobsen added two base knocks. Kayla Goens and Natalie Akin each had two runs batted in.
Mya Morrison, Ashtyn DeKnikker and Josalyn Traupel had one hit apiece for the Fighting Cougars, and Morrison also drew one walk. Cami McGuire reached three times via walk, and Brenna Bartlet walked twice. Zaidee Huls had two strikeouts and no walks allowed in a complete game loss in the circle.
MCM, which was making its Class B softball tournament debut, ended its season with a 22-3 record.
Placement round scores
Championship: Castlewood 9, McCook Central/Montrose 2
Third place: Gayville-Volin 7, Hanson 0
Fifth place: Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy 9, Redfield 3
Seventh place: Avon 13, Florence/Henry 3
All-tournament team
Castlewood: Cydni Kudrna, jr.; Claire Horn, so.; Sophia Kudrna, so.; Natalie Akin, sr.
McCook Central/Montrose: Mya Morrison, jr.; Ashtyn DeKnikker, sr.; Zaidee Huls, sr.
Gayville-Volin: Paisley Dimmer, so.; Jolie Westrum, jr.
Hanson: Jozlynn Tegethoff, jr.; Jacey Schoenrock, jr.
Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy: Claire Loofbourrow, jr.; Harli Ross, jr.
Redfield: Kinley Smith, sr.
Avon: Kaydence Metzger, so.
Florence/Henry: Elizabeth Reiter, sr.
Continue reading...
