Top-rated Castlewood rallied not once, but twice, to turn back Hanson in a 12-7 semifinal victory at the Class B State Softball Tournament Friday afternoon at Players Softball Complex.

The Warriors exploded for six runs in the bottom of the six frame to help secure a spot in today’s championship game against McCook Central-Montrose.

“They stayed very calm all game long. I felt calm even,” said Castlewood coach Craig Horn. “I was like they’re going to come and do it.”

Trailing 7-6 and down to their last six outs, the Warriors came off the field in the middle of the sixth with a resolve that they were going to come back.

“We go in the dugout and we just said we gotta play together, and that’s what we did. … At the end our energy was up,” said Castlewood junior Cydni Kudrna, “and we played together as a team and that’s I think what makes us great.”

Kudrna delivered a two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth to put the Warriors on top to stay. She said she was not looking for a particular pitch.

“Every time just hit the ball, just get on base, and if it goes far, it goes far,” she said, “but just want to get on base for my teammates.”

It was Kudrna’s second triple of the game. She led off the bottom of the first with a triple that hit off the left-field fence, just missing a home run.

“You could feel the good contact, but I was like just gotta run fast,” Kudrna said. “Usually if it goes over, then Craig Horn, third base coach, he’s usually celebrating with me so then that’s when I know, but just got to sprint fast at first.”

Kudrna is just one of many potent hitters in the Castlewood lineup.

“She’s an amazing ball player. I’ve got a lot of them on this team,” Horn said. “I’ve got talent sitting on the bench, because I’ve got such good talent playing right now. There’s a lot of girls that work very hard, and Cydni, no doubt.”

Hanson scored four runs in the top of the fourth inning to erase a 4-1 deficit and take a 5-4 lead. The Beaverettes received RBI hits from Neecee Seber, Skya White and Jacey Schoenrock.

However, Castlewood responded with single runs in the fourth and fifth to retake the lead.

Hanson then regained the lead on Schoenrock’s two-run single in the top of the sixth setting the stage for Castlewood’s pivotal surge in the bottom half of the frame.

Natalie Akin had a two-run double just inside the third base line for the final runs of the game.

The Warriors scored in every inning of the contest.

“That’s how you’ve got to be in those situations,” Horn said, “and I think they’re learning that and they’ve definitely been displaying it here, so it’s great.”

Castlewood has been a participant in each of the four state tournaments, and the experience is showing.

“I think it’s important and we have played a lot of these teams before, so going into it, kind of knowing what they’re going to do, that helps,” Kudrna said. “We always have our coaches who scout a lot. That helps, too. We’ve been here before. We know what it takes, so just bring it.”

Sophia Kudrna, who hit a solo home run over the centerfield fence, and Morgan Wilson each had three hits for the Warriors. White had a game-high four hits for Hanson, while Schoenrock finished with three hits and knocked in four.

Hanson meets Gayville-Volin for third place at 2 p.m.

The Castlewood vs. McCook Central-Montrose title contest will take place at 4 this afternoon.

Before knowing who the final’s opponent would be, Horn was asked what it would take to win the championship.

“Everything we’ve got,” he said, “and then some, maybe.”

Hanson 100 402 0 – 7 11 2

Castlewood 112 116 x – 12 14 1

Jacey Schoenrock and Jozlynn Tegethoff; Claire Horn and Lilly Jacobsen. 2B – Hanson, Neecee Seber; Castlewood, Natalie Akin. 3B – Castlewood, Cydni Kudrna 2. HR – Castlewood, Sophia Kudrna.