Colby Eagles' Season Ends in State Quarterfinals Against Russell
May 25, 2026
The Colby Lady Eagles saw their memorable season come to an end Memorial Day afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the KSHSAA Class 3A State Softball Tournament, falling 10-0 to Silver Lake at the Bill Burke Complex in Salina.
Facing one of the better programs in Class 3A, Colby battled throughout the afternoon but couldn’t find their offense against Silver Lake pitcher Riley Mohler, who kept the Lady Eagles off the scoreboard while leading her team to victory.
Silver Lake was the first to score due to Colby defensive miscues providing a generous lead. Following a leadoff strikeout from Colby pitcher Ryler Carter, Silver Lake capitalized on two errors and a two-run single to take a 3-0 lead after the first inning.
Silver Lake built their lead in the second with three more scores. A sacrifice fly plated one run before Taylor Swygert delivered an RBI double to extend the advantage to 6-0.
Colby continued to battle defensively, but Silver Lake added three more runs in the third inning after a three-run triple, pushing the lead to 9-0.
The Lady Eagles’ best scoring opportunity came in the fourth inning when senior Sadie Cheney recorded Colby’s only hit of the game. However, the momentum stopped as Silver Lake recorded the final two outs of the inning.
Silver Lake added its final run in the fifth inning with an RBI double, giving the them a 10-0 advantage and triggering the run-rule victory.
Despite the loss, Colby’s appearance in the state tournament marked another successful season for the program. The Lady Eagles advanced through regional competition to earn one of the eight spots in the Class 3A State Tournament and finished among the state's elite teams.
Cheney accounted for Colby’s lone hit in the contest. Carter pitched 4.1 innings in the circle, allowing 10 runs on 10 hits while recording three strikeouts against a powerful Silver Lake lineup.
The quarterfinal loss closed the book on the Lady Eagles’ 2026 campaign, where they finished with a 21-7 record with a league title, and regional championship. While the season ended sooner than Colby had hoped, the team’s state tournament appearance provided another memorable chapter for the program and an opportunity to compete on Kansas softball’s biggest stage.