Eagles claim walk-off win

AHS softball beats Raymond Central 3-2

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Tuesday wasn't the first time Kiersten Taylor's finished a game by bunt.
The Arlington High School junior did it during age 14 and younger play, too.
Tuesday's, however, was good for a Nebraska Capitol Conference softball win at the Two Rivers Sports Complex. The Class C No. 6 Eagles (8-3 overall) beat Raymond Central (6-8) 3-2 after Taylor put the ball in play and the Mustangs missed on back-to-back throws.
“Once I saw the ball go by first base, I knew we were scoring,” the junior said. “And then, again, at second.”
Arlington's Bailey Taylor scored first to tie the game before Britt Nielsen, a freshman, crossed home plate for the win. Her seventh-inning trip home wasn't a straight sprint as head coach Janelle Lorsch diagnosed the play.
“She had me stop, but then the overthrow and I ran in,” Nielsen said. She had her arms up in celebration even before she'd made it home.
Kiersten Taylor ran around as many bags as she could, too, as the Eagles earned their eighth win of the season — and second by walk-off error.
“We had our wheels on,” Taylor said.
The comeback victory came after the Eagles were stymied by Raymond Central pitcher Kynzee McFadden, who held the home team to just four hits in defeat. AHS didn't have its best night at the plate, but still won.
“Although, sometimes, we have off days and off games, we push back,” Taylor said. “We're a very strong family, which you can obviously see when we pull out a win like that.”
Before Arlington senior Hailey Brenn recorded the pitching victory with eight strikeouts, the Mustangs built a 2-0 lead against her with runs during the first and third innings. The Eagles, meanwhile, didn't score until the fifth frame when pinch-runner Emery McIntosh touched home. She did so on a Nielsen bloop single, which just cleared a Raymond Central glove into shallow right field.
“Just being able to get a hit was really nice,” Nielsen said, smiling. “I don't get a hit often, so it felt good to get one.”
The bloop — combined with a seventh-inning Julia Landauer walk, and bunts by Nielsen and Taylor — were good for a win Tuesday night.

Arlington softball