The North Platte 16U Bandits-Red traveled to Hastings, July 3-5 to compete for the ASA Class B State Softball title.

The ladies showed up with hot bats Friday night and dominated the Chadron Slammers with an 11-1 sweep in just four innings. Calli Groseth, McKenna Johnson, Jayda Paul and Taylar Coleman combined for 6 hits and 8 RBI’s.

Saturday evenings game was another shut out. The defense shut down Fairbury Elite with the help of Taylar Coleman who pitched 5 innings allowing 0 runs on 2 hits and striking out 8 batters.  Although they suffered an injury to their first baseman, Madi Christophersen, and had to make a quick adjustment, the girls still ended with a 9-0 finish.

Sunday morning the Bandits faced Hastings Crush. The girls came out swinging and put 2 runs on the board at the beginning of the game. Unfortunately the Crush out hit the Bandits and defeated them 10-2, dropping North Platte into the bottom bracket.

The lady Bandits never gave up. They had to play Grand Island Elite and turned that game into a slug fest! With doubles from Maddie Custer, Jayda Paul and Taylar Coleman, the girls came out on top with a 9-8 win.

With the heat of the day setting in, the Bandits went on to play Gretna Storm. Taylar Coleman gave the team a 2-run blast bringing Mckenna Johnson home in the first inning. The two teams battled back and forth exchanging blows until the fourth inning when Maddie Custer scored on a passed ball to the score to 4-4. The two teams fought hard to gain a lead bringing them to an international tie breaker.  After 7 innings the Bandits fell short in an 8-7 loss.

The Bandits-Red came back to North Platte with a 4th place finish in the ASA Class B State tournament. They’ll make the journey to Lincoln this weekend looking to bring home some hardware at the USSSA Class B State tournament.

If you see any of these girls around town give them a hollar, a congrats, and wish the “best of the best” a good luck at State this weekend!