Lindsey O’Neal’s two-out, two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning provided what turned out to be the deciding runs last Saturday at McLean County High School as the Cougar softball team defeated Muhlenberg County 6-3 in the semi-final round of the 3rd Region Softball Tournament.
Grayson County was tied once in the game, but never trailed as they advanced to the championship game on Monday. There the Cougars (19-8) will face the Apollo E’Gals (20-9), 14-0 winners over Butler County in the other semi-final game. In that contest, senior pitcher Payton Blades pitched a six-inning, perfect game, striking out 15 of the 18 batters she faced. That game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Monday evening in Calhoun.
Grayson County was the visiting team in this match-up and they wasted no time in getting on the board against Muhlenberg’s starter and loser, Lauren Walker. Leadoff hitter, Kenzie Renfrow, singled into the hole at short, and when left-fielder McKenna Gill’s throw to second was high, Renfrow advanced to second.
Grayson County’s pitcher, Embry Thorpe, helped her cause with a line drive to the fence in center that plated Renfrow and the Cougars led 1-0. While not quite as sharp as she had been this postseason, Thorpe was the winner after giving up three runs on nine hits. She walked no one and struck out four to earn the win.
The Mustangs tied things in their half of the second inning. With two outs and runners at second and third, number-nine hitter Karissa Pendley singled into right-field to bring in the tying run. Right-fielder Emma Rose, who had been at second, also tried to score on the play, but the throw from Cougar right-fielder Rachael Snyder was on the money and Rose was cut down at the plate.
Grayson County went back on top with a run in the fourth inning. Mikayla Clark walked leading off and went to second when Bailey Snyder’s ground ball to third was held there by Pendley, seemingly thinking the ball was foul. But it was ruled fair and the Cougars were in business with runners at first and second and no one out.
Maddie Duvall laid down a sacrifice to put runners at second and third. Rachael Snyder grounded out to third, but Clark was able to score on the play to put Grayson County back in front, this time to stay, 2-1.
The Cougars added two more runs in the top of the sixth. With two outs and Rachael Snyder at first base, O’Neal hit the first pitch she saw from Walker off the scoreboard behind the left-field fence for a two-run home run, making it 4-1. The Mustangs made a pitching change at that point, bringing in Rose, who allowed a walk and a Jenna Nash single before retiring Renfrow to end the inning.
Muhlenberg rallied for a pair of runs in their half of the sixth. Four straight one-out hits, the last two producing runs, made the score 4-3 and left runners at second and third. But Thorpe regained control by getting the next two batters on pop-ups to end the rally.
The Cougars added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Thorpe singled leading off and was replaced on the bases by Shelbi Fisher. Clark attempted a sacrifice bunt, but it was so good she beat it out for a hit, putting runners at first and second.
Bailey Snyder followed by bouncing a grounder into center-field to plate Fisher, making it 5-3 and leaving runners at the corners. Snyder stole second base before Duvall was plunked on the thigh to load the bases with no outs. Rose then induced Rachael Snyder to ground out to second for the first out, but Clark was able to score to make it 6-3.
Rose was able to get out of the inning without more damage being done, but their fate was sealed when Thorpe set down the Mustangs in order in the bottom of the seventh.
Grayson County goes into the championship game with 13 wins in their last 15 games, including the last nine in a row..
By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com
Embry Thorpe singled off the fence in center to drive in
Kenzie Renfrow with the first run of the game in the first inning.
Gracie Franklin flipped the ball to Maddie Duvall
covering at first for an out in the first inning.
Cougar catcher Bailey Snyder prepares to put the tag on
the Mustang’s Emma Rose following a throw from Rachael
Snyder in right-field in the second inning.
