The fourth seeded Seneca Royals softball team kicked off the 2026 postseason by hosting the fifth seed Hillsboro Tigers in the D5 regional semifinals last Tuesday, May 26. The 4 vs. 5 matchup in sports is usually unpredictable and can be quite wild and this game was no different as the two teams combined for 26 runs on 17 hits and 19 errors.

Hillsboro’s offense opened the game by erupting for eight runs in the top of the first inning. The Royals got three runs of their own in the bottom of the first inning and would get within four of the visiting Tigers with one run in the bottom of the third inning. That would be as close as Seneca would get the rest of the game as the Tigers scored four times in the fourth, twice in the fifth, once in the sixth and four more times in the top of the seventh inning. The Royals would respond with one run in the bottom of the fourth and two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning but they were unable to keep up with Hillsboro as the Tigers held on for the 19 to 7 win.

Brigid Hall started in the pitcher’s circle for the Royals, allowing 12 runs (all unearned) on five hits and one walk in 3.1 innings pitched. Hall was relieved by Lily Payne (seven runs allowed (three earned) on four hits and five walks with two strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched).

Adeline Check (2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored) had the only multi-hit game by a Royals player in the loss. Addison Davidson (1-for-3 with a triple, walk and two runs scored) and Grace Varo (1-for-4 with a double, one run scored and two RBIs) each had an extra base hit in the game. Karsyn Thoma and Brittany Heisz each singled in the loss for Seneca.

Seneca (11-12) loses four seniors off this year’s team in Wallin, Camryn Lenzendorf, Karsyn Thoma, Hall and manager Zoey Aspenson. Wallin was recently nominated and selected to represent the Royals in the 2026 WFSCA All-Star Games. Each senior player selected to participate in the All-Star Games is required to fundraise for the event, with portions going to the Special Olympics. To donate to Wallin’s fundraising page, go to wfsca.org and choose all-star game under the events tab on the top of the page and then look for her profile under the player pages banner on the right side of the screen.