Timely hitting leads 13th Region to Southeastern Softball Showcase title
MOREHEAD | The 13th Region used its offensive prowess to string together key hits when needed en route to claiming the title at the Southeastern Softball Showcase, the annual tournament featuring all-star teams comprised of juniors and seniors from the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th Regions, which took place on Wednesday at Rowan County.
In their two games, the victors proved they could win in a variety of ways. In the first-round contest against the 14th Region, the 13th scored three times in the eighth inning to rally to a 5-2 victory. Then in the finals it pulled ahead 4-0 and held off the 16th Region to capture the crown 5-3.
“We had a bunch of timely hits. We were able to put them together,” said 13th Region coach Angela Singleton of Whitley County of her team’s performance in the championship game. “Our pitching came out strong again in the second game just like it did in the first game (and) our defense was strong.”
The story was the same for the 13th Region in its first game, which it won in extra innings after the international tiebreaker rule was implemented.
“I think our girls did a really wonderful job of hitting,” Singleton said. “They came up clutch when we were able to get a runner on second base. We were … able to push that runner around.”
Over its two games, the 13th Region collected a tournament-high 18 hits, while committing a tournament-low three errors.
In the championship, Singleton’s squad notched three singles in the top of the first inning, capped off by an RBI from Harlan County’s Nikki Creech that drove in North Laurel’s Payten Gregory. The 13th added another run in the second after leadoff batter Shelby Phillips of Clay County moved all the way to third base on an error, before scoring on an infield single by Barbourville’s Megan Poff which took a high bounce over the head of Russell pitcher Haven Layne.
In the third, South Laurel’s Kelsey Dezarn hit a two-run double into right-center field that scored Whitley County’s Lindsey Shope and Gregory, extending the lead to 4-0.
The 16th Region closed the margin to 4-2 in the bottom of the frame. Bath County’s McKenna Moore beat out an infield single and moved to third after a throwing error during Bekah Badgett’s at bat. Moore eventually scored on a wild pitch, while Boyd County senior Badgett came home on a sacrifice fly from Rowan County’s Elaina Ward.
Both teams added a run in the fourth. Clay County’s Shelby Sowders hit a solo home run over the left-field fence and Ashland senior Zoe Ingram drove home courtesy runner Grace Osborn of Russell with a double down the left-field line.
That score held up over the final three innings as relief pitchers Ashland’s Mykayla Akers and Shope only allowed their opponents to put a pair of runners on base the rest of the way.
Gregory earned the win. The 13th Region’s starter pitched four innings and gave up just one earned run on four hits, while striking out four. Layne suffered the loss for the 16th Region. In her two innings of work, she surrendered two runs, although only one earned, on four hits. Shope was credited with a save after pitching the final three scoreless innings. She struck out two, walked one and conceded a lone single from Ward.
Gregory also went 3-for-3 at the plate to pace the victors. Five different players recorded a hit for the 16th Region.
In the third-place game, the 15th Region scored five runs in the first, that included a two-run homer by Magoffin County’s Erin Bolen, and held off the 14th Region to gain a 9-6 victory. The 14th drew within a run at 7-6 after the fourth inning, but a two-run homer from Johnson Central’s Alyssa Hedrick in the sixth sealed the win.
Starting pitcher Kayleigh Thomas of Pike County Central earned the victory after working three innings. Paintsville’s Anna Keeton picked up a save.
Lawrence County’s Mackenzie Methax led the offense with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate. Pikeville’s Olivia Whitfield and Thomas each added a pair of hits. Letcher County Central’s Alyssa Franklin and Perry County Central’s Jamie Pollard finished with two hits apiece for the 14th Region.
In the day’s first game, the 16th Region scored four runs over the final two innings to snatch a victory away from the 15th. Raceland’s Emily Johnson and Morgan County’s Lyndsey Adkins had a pair of doubles in the sixth inning to begin the rally. Raceland’s Rylee Austin led off the seventh with a single, then Ingram drew a walk and Rowan County’s Macy Jones loaded the bases with a single, before Akers pushed the tying run across the plate with another single. East Carter’s Graycee Castle helped provide the final margin by reaching base on an error that scored Ingram.
Akers earned the win. In two innings, she did not allow a hit or run, while string out three.
Austin and Jones topped the 16th with a pair of hits apiece. Bolen led the 15th with a solo home run and a two-run double.
The second semifinal saw the 13th Region score three times in the top of the eighth to claim a 5-2 victory over the 14th Region.
Behind the bats of Wolfe County’s Hailey Smith and Kallie Brown, the 14th took a 2-0 first-inning lead. The 13th cut the deficit in half after notching four straight singles to lead off the fourth.
North Laurel’s Rebecca Riley led off the seventh with a double and eventually scored on an error to tie the game at 2-2.
Whitley County’s Baylee Wilson drove in the 13th’s first run of the eighth inning on a fielder’s choice and then Dezarn sealed the win with a two-run single.
Shope earned the win pitching four scoreless innings and allowing just two hits while striking out five. Gregory picked up the save. In her four innings in the circle, she gave up two runs on four hits and struck out eight.
Dezarn was 3-for-4 at the plate to pace the victors. Smith finished 3-for-3 to lead the 14th.
In their two games, the victors proved they could win in a variety of ways. In the first-round contest against the 14th Region, the 13th scored three times in the eighth inning to rally to a 5-2 victory. Then in the finals it pulled ahead 4-0 and held off the 16th Region to capture the crown 5-3.
“We had a bunch of timely hits. We were able to put them together,” said 13th Region coach Angela Singleton of Whitley County of her team’s performance in the championship game. “Our pitching came out strong again in the second game just like it did in the first game (and) our defense was strong.”
The story was the same for the 13th Region in its first game, which it won in extra innings after the international tiebreaker rule was implemented.
“I think our girls did a really wonderful job of hitting,” Singleton said. “They came up clutch when we were able to get a runner on second base. We were … able to push that runner around.”
Over its two games, the 13th Region collected a tournament-high 18 hits, while committing a tournament-low three errors.
In the championship, Singleton’s squad notched three singles in the top of the first inning, capped off by an RBI from Harlan County’s Nikki Creech that drove in North Laurel’s Payten Gregory. The 13th added another run in the second after leadoff batter Shelby Phillips of Clay County moved all the way to third base on an error, before scoring on an infield single by Barbourville’s Megan Poff which took a high bounce over the head of Russell pitcher Haven Layne.
In the third, South Laurel’s Kelsey Dezarn hit a two-run double into right-center field that scored Whitley County’s Lindsey Shope and Gregory, extending the lead to 4-0.
The 16th Region closed the margin to 4-2 in the bottom of the frame. Bath County’s McKenna Moore beat out an infield single and moved to third after a throwing error during Bekah Badgett’s at bat. Moore eventually scored on a wild pitch, while Boyd County senior Badgett came home on a sacrifice fly from Rowan County’s Elaina Ward.
Both teams added a run in the fourth. Clay County’s Shelby Sowders hit a solo home run over the left-field fence and Ashland senior Zoe Ingram drove home courtesy runner Grace Osborn of Russell with a double down the left-field line.
That score held up over the final three innings as relief pitchers Ashland’s Mykayla Akers and Shope only allowed their opponents to put a pair of runners on base the rest of the way.
Gregory earned the win. The 13th Region’s starter pitched four innings and gave up just one earned run on four hits, while striking out four. Layne suffered the loss for the 16th Region. In her two innings of work, she surrendered two runs, although only one earned, on four hits. Shope was credited with a save after pitching the final three scoreless innings. She struck out two, walked one and conceded a lone single from Ward.
Gregory also went 3-for-3 at the plate to pace the victors. Five different players recorded a hit for the 16th Region.
In the third-place game, the 15th Region scored five runs in the first, that included a two-run homer by Magoffin County’s Erin Bolen, and held off the 14th Region to gain a 9-6 victory. The 14th drew within a run at 7-6 after the fourth inning, but a two-run homer from Johnson Central’s Alyssa Hedrick in the sixth sealed the win.
Starting pitcher Kayleigh Thomas of Pike County Central earned the victory after working three innings. Paintsville’s Anna Keeton picked up a save.
Lawrence County’s Mackenzie Methax led the offense with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate. Pikeville’s Olivia Whitfield and Thomas each added a pair of hits. Letcher County Central’s Alyssa Franklin and Perry County Central’s Jamie Pollard finished with two hits apiece for the 14th Region.
In the day’s first game, the 16th Region scored four runs over the final two innings to snatch a victory away from the 15th. Raceland’s Emily Johnson and Morgan County’s Lyndsey Adkins had a pair of doubles in the sixth inning to begin the rally. Raceland’s Rylee Austin led off the seventh with a single, then Ingram drew a walk and Rowan County’s Macy Jones loaded the bases with a single, before Akers pushed the tying run across the plate with another single. East Carter’s Graycee Castle helped provide the final margin by reaching base on an error that scored Ingram.
Akers earned the win. In two innings, she did not allow a hit or run, while string out three.
Austin and Jones topped the 16th with a pair of hits apiece. Bolen led the 15th with a solo home run and a two-run double.
The second semifinal saw the 13th Region score three times in the top of the eighth to claim a 5-2 victory over the 14th Region.
Behind the bats of Wolfe County’s Hailey Smith and Kallie Brown, the 14th took a 2-0 first-inning lead. The 13th cut the deficit in half after notching four straight singles to lead off the fourth.
North Laurel’s Rebecca Riley led off the seventh with a double and eventually scored on an error to tie the game at 2-2.
Whitley County’s Baylee Wilson drove in the 13th’s first run of the eighth inning on a fielder’s choice and then Dezarn sealed the win with a two-run single.
Shope earned the win pitching four scoreless innings and allowing just two hits while striking out five. Gregory picked up the save. In her four innings in the circle, she gave up two runs on four hits and struck out eight.
Dezarn was 3-for-4 at the plate to pace the victors. Smith finished 3-for-3 to lead the 14th.
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