Tri High’s Payton Moore. Photo by DAJO Photos.
LEWISVILLE, Ind. – In a battle of ranked teams, Tri High was able to survive to advance to the Class 1A sectional championship contest that the Titans will host on Thursday.
Fourth-ranked Tri High picked up a run on a passed ball in the second inning and Titans made it stand up in a 1-0 victory over No. 1 Lincoln.
The Titans face Seton Catholic in the title affair on Thursday at 5 p.m. The Cardinals defeated Blue River 12-2 in the other semifinal.
Payton Moore tossed a two-hitter for the Titans.
“This is exactly what we expected,” Lincoln Head Coach Scott Griffin said. “She’s a phenomenal pitcher.
Moore finished with eight strikeouts and allowed two hits to Lincoln’s Jaela Patton.
“That’s about as good as she has pitched,” Tri High Co-Head Coach Bryan Peggs said. “She’s starting to get into her tournament rhythm, which is nice to see.”
Kaley Harrison led off the bottom of the second with a hit for the Titans and eventually scored the lone run of the contest.
A pivotal moment occurred in the fifth inning as the Titans loaded the bases with no one out.
Kierstyn Conyers grounded back to Lincoln pitcher Kaleigh Lamb, who threw to the plate to record an out.
Conyers was safe on the relay throw and Peggs was sending Moore home from second base. Moore, who hesitated before continuing to run, was also out at the plate.
“It was a pretty jacked up play,” Peggs said. “It worried me that it would come back to haunt us, but she was pretty darn good on the mound today so that made up for it.”
Griffin agreed as his team retired the next hitter after the unusual double play.
“It’s just a testimony to our kids and their grit and determination,” he said.
The Titans were able to hold off the Golden Eagles in the sixth and seventh even though they had runners on base in both innings.
“We’ve played in the semi-state three times and we’ve had situations like that,” Peggs said. “It makes a difference. That’s a big win for us.”
Destiny Taylor had a double for the Titans and Lauren Bouslog had the other hit.
Tri High Sectional
Tuesday
Lincoln 13, Union City 0
Tri High 10, Randolph Southern 0
Wednesday
Tri High 1, Lincoln 0
Seton Catholic 12, Blue River 2
Thursday
Seton Catholic (12-5) vs. Tri High (22-2), Championship, 5 p.m.