Manhattan Optimist Moxie finished runner-up at the Battle on the Plains tournament in Hays, posting a 5-2 record over the weekend.

Moxie opened tournament play Friday with a 9-3 victory over the Pratt Royals.

Acelyn Rottinghaus powered the offense by going 2-for-2 with two home runs. Brooklyn Dye added a triple, while Caitlyn Fleming finished 2-for-2 with two stolen bases. Elliot Barnes also contributed with a perfectly executed squeeze bunt single during a five-run third inning. Isla Sallman earned the win in the circle.

The team followed with a 6-2 win over Legends Elite 18s.

Reese Grady, Dye, Delayni Clark and Maleigh Owens each recorded a hit, with Owens driving in two runs. Rottinghaus dominated in the circle, striking out 10 to earn the victory.

Saturday began with Moxie’s lone pool-play loss, a 3-1 setback to Kansas Heat of Hoisington. Rottinghaus struck out 10 batters in the loss, while Grady and Hailey Lies accounted for the team’s only hits.

Moxie rebounded in its final pool-play game, rolling to a 12-0 victory over Hitstreak-Striker 18s of Denver.

The offense pounded out 12 hits, led by Grady’s 2-for-3 effort with a triple. Dye went 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Lies finished 2-for-3 with a double. Sallman not only earned the win in the circle but also went 2-for-2 at the plate. Clark, Emma Liby, Fleming and Rottinghaus each added a hit.

Moxie was aggressive on the bases as Dye stole three bases, Lies swiped two, and Rottinghaus, Fleming, Grady and Barnes each added a stolen base.

Bracket play opened Sunday morning with an 8-4 victory over Pratt.

Moxie scored four runs in each of the first two innings behind a huge day from Lies, who blasted a three-run home run and later added a two-run triple to finish with five RBI. Dye went 2-for-3 with a double, while Owens and Grady each added a hit.

Rottinghaus struck out eight over the first four innings before Sallman closed the game in relief with five strikeouts.

In the semifinals, Moxie earned a measure of revenge against Chaos Fastpitch with a 6-3 victory to advance to the championship game.

Lies stayed hot at the plate, launching a grand slam in the second inning before adding another RBI single in the fourth. Clark finished 2-for-2, while Grady scored twice and Sallman added a hit. Grady and Dye each stole a base.

Rottinghaus went the distance in the circle, allowing three hits while striking out four as Moxie avenged an earlier loss to Chaos this summer.

Moxie’s tournament run ended in the championship game with an 8-4 loss to the Kansas Renegades.

Lies again paced the offense, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Grady tripled and scored twice, while Rottinghaus and Fleming each collected a hit. Sallman took the loss in the circle.

Moxie improved to 17-5 on the summer season and will have the upcoming weekend off before traveling to Wichita for the Midwest B Nationals, followed by the Fastpitch Festival in Kansas City later in July.

Optimist Prime 2nd in Shawnee

The Manhattan Optimist Prime fastpitch softball team earned runner-up honors at the USSSA State Tournament in Shawnee, finishing second after a 9-3 loss to Emporia Energy in the championship game.

Prime struck first as Maddie Fobes delivered an RBI single in the opening inning, but Emporia responded with six runs in the second and maintained control the rest of the way.

Ember Conger provided Manhattan’s final runs with an inside-the-park home run in the fourth inning. Kayleigh Blair took the loss in the circle while also going 2-for-2 at the plate.

Prime will wrap up its summer season at its final tournament on July 11.