Ladycat Softball earns runner-up title at regionals, qualifies for state

For the third consecutive year, the White Pine High School softball team is returning to the NIAA 2A State tournament.

“It feels good,” Ladycats coach Joe Sedlacek said. “It was a challenging season, but the girls stepped up and made it happen.”

This comes after the Ladycats reached the regional finals in a similar sequence last year.

The path to the regional finals May 8-10 included beating Lincoln County twice but losing to Needles twice.

The three-seeded Ladycats opened its 2A South Regional with a 9-6 victory over No. 2 Lincoln County. White Pine and Lincoln County each scored two runs in the first inning. But then, the Ladycats’ offense came through, scoring at least one run in the final four frames, including scoring three in the fourth and two in the sixth.

“Their bats were going. They were motivated, and they were making things happen for themselves,” Joe Sedlacek said. “If we can put pressure on teams, we can do a lot of damage. We have talked to these girls many times about that, how putting pressure on teams makes them make mistakes, makes them feel the weight of the situation, and it loosens our team up a lot.”

Sophomore Paige Hayward got the start in the opener against Lincoln County. She threw a complete game, allowing three earned runs and striking out 11.

It marks the third time in the last five starts she has struck out double-digit batters.

“She steps up to the challenge,” Joe Sedlacek said. “She is healthy now. I believe in her, and I know she can. She’s capable of beating any team.”

Then, a matchup against top-seeded Needles ensued. Despite jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the second, Needles answered back, scoring eight, en route to a 14-3 run victory over the Ladycats.

“They put pressure on you. They score runs, they put the ball in play. They make things happen for themselves,” Joe Sedlacek said. “I think we can negate that by creating our own pressure. When our girls step up, we’re going to show Needles a different team this next weekend.”

As a result, White Pine had to play immediately after the loss and avoid elimination with a regional title on the line and an opportunity to play for a state championship while playing in the heat, with temperatures north of 100 degrees.

Once again, the Ladycats faced Lincoln County, who eliminated No. 4 Awakened Christian in the opening round of the losers’ bracket.

However, Joe Sedlacek saw his team quickly turn the page and find those positive spirits.

“It was a challenge. It was hot, coming off the defeat of Needles and going into that Lincoln game, the girls had to reset,” he said. “And they did. They were having fun. They were out in front of the dugout, dancing and playing music and getting themselves up. I knew they were going to play well, just by what I was watching pre-game. They were loose and they were ready to play. They were confident going into that game and I had a lot of confidence in them as well.”

Like the first playoff game against Lincoln County the day before, another tight ball game transpired. White Pine scored four in the first before Lincoln County came back with one in the first and three in the second to tie things up.

Hayward settled in as she completed another game, allowing those four early runs, while scattering eight hits and three walks to strike out five.

“Once she gets settled in, she goes into her own little world,” Joe Sedlacek said of Hayward. “She’s in such a zone, sometimes I think she forgets to breathe, so we have to slow the game down for her a little bit. When she’s pitching, I think the girls are a lot more confident behind her. They play defense. They know she’s going to throw strikes.”

Eventually, as Hayward continued to post zeros, the White Pine offense was going to spark, which they did. In the sixth inning, the Ladycats scored three runs and added another insurance run in the seventh for an 8-4 victory.

Every player in the starting lineup outside of Gianna Sedlacek, who got on base two times and scored once, got at least one base hit, highlighted by Camden Johnson and Laya Ruesch each going 2-for-4.

“Once we hit the sixth inning, they came to life, and everybody was putting the ball in play,” Joe Sedlacek said. “I think we batted around the lineup. The whole offense showed up to play that game. That was nice because some bats are starting to get hot. We need to get hot right now. I expect them to stay hot when we get to state. If that’s the case, we’re going to be a scary team.”

That win gave White Pine its ticket into the state tournament as anticipation with some anxiety by the fifth inning turned into relief and jubilation by the time the game was over.

“They all knew after we beat Lincoln, a big celebration, that we were onto the state (tournament) and everything else from there was, ‘Now it’s time to make a name for ourselves,’” Joe Sedlacek said.

Although White Pine lost to Needles, 12-2, in the regional championship game, it was another chance for the Ladycats to know what it takes to take down the reigning 2A State champions.

Now, the Ladycats get set for the NIAA 2A State Tournament taking on Yerington, who played in last year’s state championship but did not play White Pine. However, the two teams did square off in the first weekend of the season in late February.

Joe Sedlacek said he expects a different Yerington team than when they faced them a few months ago.

“We’ve improved. I’m sure they’ve improved, but I’m confident in our team, and I know our team is going to go in with a lot of confidence, because we have seen them before,” he said. “They’re a familiar opponent, and we know what they do. I think it’s going to be good. I think it’s a good situation for us.”

Yerington and White Pine will play the first game of the 2A State tournament on May 15 beginning at 1 p.m. at Pershing County.
(Quarters) Gm 1 Thu.: W 9-6 vs. No. 2 Lincoln County

(Semis) Gm 2 Fri.: L, 14-3 vs. No. 1 Needles

(losers Semis) Gm 3: Fri: W, 8-4 vs. No. 2 Lincoln County

(Champ game) Gm 4 Sat.: L, 12-2 vs. No. 1 Needles