BY JIM MISUNAS

jmisunas@gbtribune.com

HOISINGTON — Hoisington/Central Plains pitcher Ellie Crawford (7-4) was brilliant with hard-fought 2-1 and 4-3 victories over Central Kansas League softball leader Halstead Friday.

"It was the best we’ve seen from Ellie this year," said Hoisington coach Tim Boxberger. "She’s worked hard to get her mechanics straightened out. She threw five scoreless innings against Hillsboro and that carried over. Ellie threw a good fastball, and her rise and high fastball were spot on. Her change up was off game 1, but it was back for game 2." 

The Cardinals (13-5, 9-5 CKL) handed Halstead (18-2, 14-2 CKL) its first two losses.

"This gives the girls confidence they can compete with anyone," said Boxberger. "We put together complete games Friday.  We had pitching, defense and good at-bats. We control our own destiny as far as possibly hosting a 4A regional." 

CARDINALS 2, HALSTEAD 1 (G1) — A trio of seventh-inning walks cost Halstead pitcher Kaci Young. Kelsi Maier scored on Marly Brewer's sacrifice fly for the game-winning run.

"We worked all week laying off the rise ball/high fastball to force Young to throw strikes," Boxberger said. "We had good/long at bats to draw three walks — Kelsi Maier 7 pitches, Claire Crutcher 8 pitches and Brynn Tarlton 7 pitches — to set the stage for Marly Brewer’s deep sacrifice fly to walk off game 1. 

Halstead's Thea Boese ripped a third-inning homer. Brynn Tarlton singled, stole second base and scored on Gabby Reif's sixth-inning single.  

Crawford struck out 13 Halstead batters in a 4-hit effort. Crawford stranded two second-inning baserunners with a pair of strikeouts. 

"It was a great pitcher's duel with Young, one of the top pitchers in our league," Boxberger said. "She's legit."

Boxberger calls the pitches, but defers to Crawford on occasion.

"Ellie will motion to me on what she’d like to throw on a hitter, and we always go with what she wants," he said.

CARDINALS 4, HALSTEAD 3 (G2) — Gabby Reif drove home three runs to spark Hoisington's 4-3 victory.

Boese singled in Addison Thompson and Kaci Young for a 2-0 first-inning lead before Crawford retired three consecutive batters.

Gabby Reif doubled home Tarlton and Brewer for a 2-2 tie. Reif scored on Mea Sneath's first-inning single off Thompson. Reif delivered again with a fifth-inning single to score Brewer.

Halstead's Brett Young scored on a sixth-inning wild pitch. 

Halstead 000 100 0 — 1 4 1

Hoisington 000 001 1 — 2 4 0

Kaci Young and Brett Young. Crawford and Hahn. W—Crawford, 6-4. L—K. Young. 2B—HOIS—Tarlton. HR—HAL—Boese.

Halstead 200 001 0 — 3 4 2

Hoisington 300 010 x — 4 7 2

Addison Thompson, K. Young (5) and Boese. Crawford and Hahn. W—Crawford, 7-4. L—A. Thompson. 2B—HOIS—Crawford, Reif; HAL—Engel.

CKL SOFTBALL

Halstead 14-2 18-2

Haven 12-2 15-4

Hesston 10-4 12-8

Hoisington 9-5 13-5

Pratt 7-5 10-8

Larned 4-8 13-9

Hillsboro 3-11 6-14

Smoky Valley 1-11 3-13

Nickerson 0-12 2-18

MONDAY—Haven 4-5, Wichita Trinity 3-11; Larned 6-12, Spearville 3-8; Kingman 22, Nickerson 1; Ellsworth 14, Nickerson 13

TUESDAY—Larned 13-12, Russell 2-2; Halstead 28-15, Douglass 1-0; Inman 13-10, Hillsboro 2-2; Smoky Valley 14-8, Lyons 11-5; Pratt 16-17, Dodge City 1-1

THURSDAY—SE Saline 12-14, Smoky Valley 0-0

FRIDAY—Hesston 5-15, Pratt 4-23; Hoisington 2-4, Halstead 1-3; Hillsboro 11-15, Nickerson 6-3