Photo by Jake McNeill: The Wabasso softball team shakes hands with BOLD after a loss in the Section 3A softball tournament elimination bracket, Tuesday in Marshall.

MARSHALL — The Wabasso softball team wasn’t able to extend its season in the elimination bracket of the Section 3A tournament when it took on BOLD on Tuesday. After falling to Yellow Medicine East earlier in the day, and losing a key player due to the heat in the process, the Rabbits fell 6-0 to end their season.

The Rabbits battled back from a five-run deficit to take the lead against YME in their semifinal matchup, but the Sting took the lead back in the seventh inning and handed the Rabbits a 10-8 loss to send them to the elimination bracket. Wabasso was unable to bounce back, being limited to three hits while committing four errors in the loss.

“We know we didn’t play our best ball today, and really the big thing about life is just showing up every single day,” Wabasso head coach Tiffany Eichten said. “Hats off to the other teams who made the plays, they did the little things to win the ballgames.”

While it’s hard to appreciate the positives of a season in the immediate aftermath of a loss, Wabasso senior Audrey Johnson said that she and her teammates took a lot of pride in all they accomplished this year and that they know they’re a top-tier team despite the result. She added that she’s really appreciative of the program for all it’s done for her growth as both a player and a person.

With two outs in the first, BOLD strung together four consecutive hits to push across three runs. A Wabasso error an inning later brought the score to 4-0, and a pair of errors in the fourth gave the Warriors another pair of insurance runs.

Delaina Eis pitched all six innings for Wabasso after Aylah Jenniges had to come out of the first game. Eis struck out three BOLD batters in the elimination matchup, surrendering two earned runs on nine hits and a walk.

“I was really proud of Delaina for stepping up,” Eichten said. “She didn’t get as many innings pitched or as many games pitched this year as she probably would like when you have Aylah as your ace pitcher, but she did see some innings and she settled in there really good. This was a big game and she gave us a chance to win.

At the plate, Eis, Macy Rohlik and Cassie Bliss each logged a single for Wabasso in the loss. The Rabbits did not draw a walk in the game.

The Rabbits finish their season at 19-7 and graduate Rohlik, Jenniges, Johnson, Camryn Irlbeck and Sara Carlson.

“Our five seniors have been awesome to watch. They put in time, they’ve been great leaders for us, and you know they will be missed,” Eichten said. “They’re some big shoes to fill, but hopefully the younger girls were able to see what they did and can capitalize from where we left off with them.”