Two big innings proved to be the difference in the Indian softball team’s season-ending loss to Kansas City-Piper in the first round of the Class 4A Division I state softball tournament in Salina on May 27.

The number one seeded Piper got off to a great start, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first to take an early lead in the quarterfinal game, which was played a day later due to threatening weather the night before.

Hays rallied in their half of the third when senior Tessa Stickel launched a grand slam over the center field fence to make the score 5-4. Stickel’s home run came after senior Shannon Schumacher reached on a walk, followed by an infield hit by senior Albany Schaffer, who then advanced to second on an error. Freshman Kaitlin Brown then drew a walk to load up the bases for Stickel’s two-out blast.

The momentum was short-lived, however, as Piper loaded the bases in the bottom of the third. A hit batter drove in one run, followed by an error that allowed two more runs to make it 8-4. A wild pitch allowed another run, while another runner crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice to make it 10-4.

After a scoreless fourth inning that saw senior Madison Prough get stranded on second after a one-out double, the Indians got things going in the top of the fifth. Senior Nicole Dinkel reached first after begin hit by a pitch and then stole second. Stickel then just missed her second home run of the night as she hit a double off the left field fence to score Dinkel and register her fifth RBI of the game. Stickel, however, was left on base and the inning ended with Piper on top, 10-5.

As it turned out, that’s how the game ended as neither team could get anything going in the final two innings.

With the loss, the Indians ended the season at 10-11, while Piper improved to 19-2 heading into the semi-finals against either Wellington (17-5) or Independence (17-5).