Crete holds off Beatrice to stay alive

HASTINGS, Neb. — No. 5 Crete eliminated No. 8 Beatrice 9-7 in Class B Game 7 on Friday at the Bill Smith Softball Complex. Beatrice entered the tournament 18-8. Crete, which entered 27-3, was knocked out later Friday by Hastings, 2-0.

How it went: Crete scored two runs in the first, one in the second and four in the fourth for a 7-0 lead. Beatrice answered with five runs in the top of the fifth to make it 7-5, and Crete scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to lead 9-5. Beatrice scored once in the sixth and once in the seventh but got no closer than two runs.

At the plate: A. Beck went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs and was hit by a pitch. M. Dunaway went 2-for-2 with two walks and two RBIs. M. Smith went 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs. I. Oltmans went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a sacrifice. B. Brandt drove in a run, and R. Cain scored. Dunham drew five walks without an official at-bat. Courtesy runners M. Yeager and N. Davis scored five of the nine runs between them.

Crete had 10 hits, drew eight walks and left 11 runners on base.

In the circle: M. Dunham pitched a complete game and struck out 10 without a walk. She allowed seven runs, only two of them earned, on six hits, on 119 pitches (81 strikes). Crete made five errors, two by L. Ochinero.

K. Henrichs pitched six innings for Beatrice. She allowed nine runs (eight earned) on 10 hits with eight walks and four strikeouts, on 104 pitches to 38 batters.

Beatrice: Henrichs homered and drove in two. T. Tempelmeyer went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. T. Antons drove in a run and scored, and H. Epp scored twice. J. Crouse drove in a run, and M. Loomis had a hit. Beatrice drew no walks and left four on base.

Beatrice lost its opener 18-9 to Gretna East. Crete lost 8-7 to Northwest on Wednesday. Dunham pitched again in Crete's next game and threw 88 more pitches against Hastings.

Line score

         1 2 3 4 5 6 7   R  H  E
Beatrice 0 0 0 0 5 1 1   7  6  2
Crete    2 1 0 4 2 0 X   9 10  5

Sources: NSAA official box scores, Class B, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026 (posted 8:45 p.m. CT, via NSAA Softball Championships HQ); NSAA Class B bracket sheet, retrieved Oct. 16, 2026, 9:48 p.m. CT. Innings are noted only where NSAA's results data marks them.

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