The Hinton softball team ended their season at the state softball tournament on Tuesday morning falling to top seed Grand View Christian by the score of 7-4.
The loss concluded Hinton’s first state tournament berth in 16 years after their last time qualifying in 2010. Karlyn Kovarna is one of the seniors who brought the Blackhawks here, and she says it was a great way to wrap up her senior season.
Much like yesterday’s loss to Iowa City Regina, the Blackhawks found themselves behind early getting down 3-0 after the second and 4-0 after the third. Hinton, once again, did not back down and battled back in the game. Head coach Jennifer Jacobs-List says she loved the toughness of her team in a crucial game.
That comeback saw Hinton tie it up against the No. 1 seed in the bracket with two runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth. Coach Jacobs-List says the Blackhawks were not trying to do too much and trust trying to put the bat on the ball after struggling yesterday.
Hinton’s offensive production came throughout their lineup, but Kovarna’s two hits and two RBIs helped make the difference for the Blackhawks. She says her nerves are not high in moments like this, and her calm demeanor helps her get the job done.
Kovarna was following a top third of the order that combined for five hits in the game. She says having a portion of the order produce like that gives her a lot of confidence as a cleanup hitter.
After tying the game at four, the Blackhawks gave up a back-breaking solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning that gave the Thunder the lead for good. It was Grand View Christian’s second home run of the day, and Coach Jacobs-List says they expected good power from a good team.
The Blackhawks graduate four seniors from the program that helped bring it back to a state tournament contender. Coach Jacobs-List says this has been a special group that will be hard to see go.
Kovarna is part of that group that went to state in volleyball, basketball, golf and now softball. Other seniors contributed in other sports like track, cross country, and wrestling. Kovarna says this class has been special, and they made an incredible senior year even more special.
Hinton’s final record concludes at 26-6. After a 16-year hiatus, the Blackhawks have now tasted success, and they would love to go back for seconds next year. Coach Jacobs-List says doing that will take a lot of players stepping up to fill voids left by the seniors.
Grand View Christian stays alive in the state tournament with a record of 28-4.
