NSAA Class C Championship Trophy Back In Northeast Nebraska, Tori Kniesche Strikes Out 67 In Four Games

HASTINGS – NSAA high school softball teams battled through the cold, wind and cloudy skies on way to championship Saturday with the sun out and six teams remaining (two in each class).

#1 Wayne has won one game each day in the Class C state tournament from the Smith Softball Complex in Hastings entering the morning and began their fourth match of the season with the #4 Bishop Neumann Cavaliers.

The game featured a battle of two aces early on before Sidney Biggerstaff produced a two-out triple scoring Aliah Schultz to lead 1-0. After two more scoreless innings, both teams tallied a pair of runs in the seventh which saw Wayne hold on in the Class C State Title game, 3-2. The Blue Devils scored their runs from Abby Ankeny driving in Biggerstaff before Ankeny scored off an error from Bishop Neumann. The Cavalier runs came off a two-run homer.

Wayne High is the only program in softball history to finish off a season undefeated winning a championship at 35-0 in 2018 and 34-0 in 2004. Bishop Neumann earned their second runner-up finish with a 27-10 record.

Other Blue Devil offensive stats saw Kayla Fleming single and Biggerstaff double.

Tori Kniesche stole the show with another gem picking up the complete game win in seven innings. She allowed two earned runs off of three hits while striking out 20 batters which brought her state tourney total to 67 strikeouts and junior campaign at 374.

Wayne High has qualified for state 16 times with Bishop Neumann playing in their seventh tournament after winning the 2017 state title.

The Blue Devils previously were crowned runner-up in 2013, 2009 and 2007 while state champions in 2004 (34-0) and 2003 (36-2). For Bishop Neumann, along with their 2017 state championship (26-8), the Cavaliers finished runner-up in 2015.

Wayne vs. Bishop Neumann:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E

0 0 0 1 0 0 2 3 4 0 – WHS

0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 3 2 – Bishop Neumann

 

Class A final:

#5 (37-5) Lincoln Southwest stayed alive handing #1 (34-1) Papillon-La Vista their first loss, 7-5

If necessary game: #5 (38-5) Lincoln Southwest won again over #1 (34-2) Papillion-La Vista, 9-5

Class B final:

#1 (30-6) Elkhorn defeated #3 (30-9) Beatrice, 3-0

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