By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The undefeated season rolls on for the Ell-Saline softball team, whose 24th consecutive win came in this year's state quarterfinals as the Lady Cards knocked out the reigning champs in St. Mary’s Colgan 5-2.
The Panther season comes to a close at 11-13 while 24-0 Ell-Saline advances to the state semis to take on either 21-2 Spearville or 20-2 Eskridge.
“The girl’s kept their composure throughout the whole game and played very solid defensively,” Lady Cards head coach Kris Bell said.
It was a pitcher's duel for much of the evening as Raleigh Kramer allowed just five hits and one walk, striking out three in her 19th win of the season.
Aggressive baserunning got Ell-Saline on the board early as Sadie Bradley scored the first run on a passed ball before Val VanZant swiped home to put the Cardinals up 2-0.
The Panthers evened things up in the top of the third but Brin Hecker quickly erased that progress with a bases-clearing double to put Ell-Saline back on top 5-2.
From there, Kramer took over, and the Cardinals never looked back, cruising to victory and punching their ticket to the semifinal round on Friday.
“The girls are very excited to come back and play two more tomorrow,” Bell said.
Semifinal action begins with an 11:00 first pitch between Ell-Saline and either Spearville or Eskridge, with the loser playing in the third-place game at 1:00 while the winner advances to the State Championship game at 1:30.
For continuing coverage of Ell-Saline softball at state stay tuned to the Salina Post.