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.

Bulldogs Open District Play with a Bang

The Kearney Bulldogs Softball team started Class 4 Tournament play with a huge win over the Raytown Lady Jays on Wednesday, October 16. They shutout Raytown 15-0 in three innings.

Reghan Lueken hit a grand slam to center field and cleared the bases in the 1st inning.

Kearney’s bats were hot in all three innings as Brooke Paalhar grounded out and scored one right away in the first inning. Reghan Lueken then hit a grand slam to center field and cleared the bases.

In the second inning, Morgan Pennington hit an inside the park home run, scoring three runs, and Lueken doubled, scoring one run. In the third inning, Jocelyn Lincoln doubled, scoring two runs, and the Lady Jays committed three errors that allowed four runs.

Reghan Lueken also showed her masterful pitching skills in the circle for the Bulldogs. She pitched all three innings to shutout the Raytown Jays. She had 5 strikeouts and allowed 0 walks and 0 runs.

Here are some other highlights of the game:

Macy Marrow went 1-2 with 2 runs scored

Kennedi Casey went 2-3 with 1 run scored

Brooke Paalhar had 1 run scored & 1 RBI

Morgan Pennington went 2-3 with 3 RBIs & runs scored (Inside the park HR)

Kate Stumpenhaus went 1-3 with 2 runs scored

Jocelyn Lincoln went 2-3 with 3 runs scored

Reghan Lueken went 2-3 with 5 RBIs and a grand slam

Caroline Jury went 3-3

Kearney’s next outing is the District Semi Final will be played at Winnetonka High School vs Marshall.

Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Bulldog Softball Dominates Over Winnetonka

Jocelyn Lincoln scored and drove in one when she smashed a homerun on Thursday, October 3 against the Winnetonka Griffins.The Bulldogs would go on to win the game in just three innings, 16-1.

Jocelyn Lincoln scored and drove in one when she smashed a homerun on Thursday.

Winnetonka struck first in the top of the first with one run in after a ground out. Kearney came back in the bottom of the first by scoring eight runs on six hits to take the lead, 8-1. Lincoln hit a two-run homerun over the left field fence. Kennedi Casey had a huge at-bat that drove in three runners on a single.

The Bulldogs scored eight runs on eight hits in the bottom of the third inning. Brooke Paalhar singled, scoring one run, Morgan Pennington singled, scoring one run, Kate Stumpenhaus doubled, scoring one run, an error scored one run, Reghan Lueken doubled, scoring two runs, and Caroline Jury singled, scoring one run.

Reghan Lueken pitched all three innings and had 4 strikeouts. She allowed two hits and one run over three innings and walked one.

Other highlights include:

- Macy Morrow went 1-2

- Kate Landewee had 1 RBI

- Caroline Jury went 1-2 with 1 RBI

- Ryleigh Van Emmerik went 3-3

The Bulldogs are now 23-4 and 7-0 in conference play. Senior night will be Tuesday October 8th against Raytown South.

Brian Watts contributed to this story.