Kearney Falls to Smithville Despite Strong Lueken Performance

Kearney out-hits Smithville 6-5, but the Warriors hold on for a 3-1 win

Reghan Lueken struck out 12 Warriors, and didn't walk a single batter. Photo: KAle Davis, BackRoads Designs.

Sometimes you do almost everything right and still come up short. That was the story Saturday, October 17, as the Kearney Bulldogs dropped a tough 3-1 decision to the Smithville Warriors despite one of the best all-around performances  from pitcher Reghan Lueken.

Lueken was simply dealing in the circle. She went the full seven innings, struck out 12 Warriors, and didn't walk a single batter. She gave up just five hits and three runs all day, which during most games is more than enough to get a win.

Smithville got on the board first in the top of the first inning. A passed ball allowed a run to score, giving the Warriors an early 1-0 lead.

Kearney's bats finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth, and fittingly, it was Lueken who did it herself. The cleanup hitter launched a solo home run to center field to put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard and fired up the home crowd.

Reese narron. Photo: KAle Davis, BackRoads Designs.

Smithville answered right back in the top of the seventh. Marleigh McDonald hit a solo shot to right field to add an insurance run, and the Bulldogs couldn't put together a rally in their final at-bats.

Kearney out-hit Smithville six to five. Reese Narron led the way with two hits, and Lueken went 1-for-3 with the team's only RBI.

It stings to lose a game like this, especially with Lueken putting the team on her back in the circle and at the plate. But if the Bulldogs keep getting pitchers like Reghan Lueken and keep making solid contact like Reese Narron, Ellie Switzer, and Kate Stumpenhaus, the wins are will keep coming.

Bulldogs Softball. Photo: KAle Davis, BackRoads Designs.

The Bulldogs finish their season at 21-11. An amazing season for some amazing players.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Bulldogs Blast Bears in District Quarterfinal, 15-0

The Bulldogs gave their fans plenty to cheer about Wednesday, combining a relentless 14-hit attack with dominant pitching to shut out the Chrisman Bears, 15-0.

Reese Narron led the charge in the Class-4, District-8 quarterfinal game with a perfect 3-for-3 performance and finished a triple shy of the cycle. She doubled in the first inning, launched a solo home run to center field in the second and singled home a run during Kearney’s nine-run third.

Kearney wasted no time taking control. In the bottom of the first, Kate Stumpenhaus singled to left, the Bears committed an error, Ellie Switzer singled to center and Bailey Sharp lined a single down the right-field line. Each play brought home a run, giving the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead.

The Bulldogs added two more runs in the second. Narron’s blast to center made it 5-0, and another Chrisman error pushed the advantage to six.

Then came the third-inning avalanche. Avery Campbell and Narron each delivered an RBI single, Payton McLean drove in two with a double, Stumpenhaus added another run-scoring single and Ava Peterson cleared the bases with a three-run triple. By the time the inning ended, Kearney had scored nine runs and put the game firmly out of reach.

Reghan Lueken was just as impressive in the circle. The right-hander did not allow a hit or a run in three innings, striking out eight while issuing only one walk. Ashlyn Dillard took the loss for Chrisman after allowing 15 runs, 13 earned, on 14 hits over two innings. She struck out two and walked one.

Peterson finished with a team-high three RBIs, while Switzer, Stumpenhaus and Sharp joined Narron with multiple hits. Sharp also stole two bases. Kearney was flawless in the field, committing no errors, and Stumpenhaus handled a team-high eight defensive chances.

The Bulldogs face the Smithville Warriors on Saturday, October 17, for the district semifinal game.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Bulldog Softball Returns to KPGZ

102.7FM KPGZ is excited to announce radio coverage of Kearney High School home softball games is returning to the Bulldog Radio Network this fall. This will be the second season the radio station has covered softball games.

Bulldog radio network announcers Kelly Gentry and Eric Stevens will be calling the home softball games beginning at 5 pm on Wednesday, September 3, when the Bulldogs face the Blue Springs Wildcats.

“We had great success announcing Bulldog softball games last fall,” said 102.7FM general manager Brian Watts. “We are excited to have Bulldog softball to KPGZ, and that our listeners are enthusiastic to have the softball games on the radio.”

Parents and fans requested softball and baseball games to be broadcast on the radio station last year, and KPGZ was able to work on the details and produce quality game broadcasts for fans.

Bulldog sports game broadcasts bring a vast audience to the radio station. Broadcasts of high school sports bring double or triple the listening audience to 102.7FM. The station now broadcasts football, boys and girls basketball, baseball and softball to a wide audience around the world on the radio, their website 1027KearneyMO.com and the KPGZ mobile app, as well as their sister station KearneyCountry.com.

Sponsorship spaces, including shoutout messages from family and friends are still available and can be reserved now by calling Brian Watts at 816-826-1111.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Bulldogs Fall to Belton in Quarterfinals

The Varsity Bulldog Softball team ended their season in a heartbreaking loss to the Belton Pirates in the State Quarterfinal game of Class 4 on Saturday October 26. The final score was 1-0.

The Bulldogs and pirates both played solid defense and allowed no runs until the top of the 7th inning. Belton designated player Corabelle Newman hit a solo homerun from a Kate Landewee fast ball to give the Pirates the only run in the game.

Kate Landewee pitched all 7 innings and recorded 21 outs. She only gave up one run on four hits, struck out 12, and had no walks. Leadoff hitter Macy Morrow led the Kearney Bulldogs with two hits in four at bats.

Kearney had an amazing year, breaking the school record of wins on the season with 30 games won. Alyssa Quick and Jocelyn were tied for the most homeruns this season with 6. Brooke Paalhar had 3, and Morgan Pennington made 2 homeruns. Kate Landewee, Kate Stumpenhaus, Caroline Jury, Ryleigh Van Emmerik and Reghan Lueken each had 1 homerun this season.

The Bulldogs won in District 8 and were Conference champions this year.

Brian Watts contributed to this story.