92.1 KMZA audio 3A Regional Championship - Nemaha Central vs Marysville - click here to listen

Meeting up for the third time this season and in the month of May, Marysville and Nemaha Central softball were playing for much bigger stakes this time on Tuesday in Marysville as the winner earned a spot in the Class 3A State tournament. After a split in the regular season the Regional Championship game went to Marysville with a 4-0 win. 

The Championship was a game of strong pitching and defense as runs and base runners were at a premium. In the contest but it was Marysville notching six total hits, five of them extra base hits to score their four runs, while the Thunder had only five base runners in the contest. Makenzie Nordhus got a one-out hit in the Top of the first but Marysville pitcher, Shelby Downard ended up striking out the side. In the bottom of the first Nemaha Central hurler, Mattea Rettele answered the call with a one-two-three inning against Marysville. Marysville took the lead in the in the bottom of the second as Taylor Crome sent one for a round-trip out of the park over the right centerfield fence making it 1-0 Bulldogs after two innings. The Thunder got another hit in the third coming from Shania Schraad but no runs, while in the bottom of the fourth Makayla Sloop made the defensive play of the game in right field catching a fly ball at the fence and flipping over the fence in the process recording the final out of the bottom of the third. 

After Downard struck out the side against Nemaha Central in the Top of the fifth the Bulldogs got a leadoff double by Sarah Roberts in the bottom of the inning and it was followed by an RBI double from Kali Crome and then an RBI single by Downard to score two runs and make it 3-0. Bulldogs added an insurance run in the sixth to make it 4-0 and Downard finished off the game recording the final out on her 14th strikeout of the game. 

In the loss Nemaha Central had just two hits, while Rettele was solid in the circle going six innings giving up four runs on six hits and struck out two. The loss ends the Thunder's best softball season in the five years of the program as they cap the season with a 12-11 mark. 

Marysville in the win was led by Downard who was stellar in the circle going seven shutout innings giving up just two hits, a hit batter and one walk while striking out 14 and went 2-3 at the plate with a double and RBI. Sydney Pacha, Roberts and Kali Crome each all had a double and Taylor Crome was 1-3 with a solo home run and two runs scored.

The win moves Marysville to 18-4 on the season as they head into the Class 3A State tournament. The 3A State tournament is set for Thursday and Friday, May 25-26th in Manhattan at Twin Oaks Complex.