Madison Walters
LIBERTY, Ind. – Union County will have a chance to play for its first softball sectional title since 2012, after the Patriots defeated Tri-Eastern Conference rival Centerville 6-1 on Tuesday.
The Patriots (22-6) will face Knightstown (13-10), which beat Hagerstown 8-0 in Tuesday’s second contest.
“They have some kids who can flat out hit the ball,” Union County Head Coach Scott Gray said of the Panthers. “We will have to be sound defensively. We’ll have to have key hits at key times and run the bases well.”
Wednesday’s title game at Union County for the Class 2A Sectional 41 championship is set for 6 p.m.
“I thought the kids played well,” Gray said of the win over the Bulldogs. “Ever since they beat us in the conference game, our girls were on a mission from that point.”
Union County has won three straight since falling 5-2 to the Bulldogs on May 16.
“We did not execute the game plan the first time,” Gray said. “Tonight, we were spot on.”
“Any mistake they made, I thought we took advantage of,” Gray continued. “We were much more aggressive and our stances were better and we were up on the plate.”
Centerville finished its season at 11-6.
“It’s not the turnout I wanted,” Centerville Head Coach Avon Miller said. “We hit the ball and kept it in play and had a low strikeout percentage.”
“We just hit the ball at them and they were able to make the plays without errors,” Miller continued. “We made some errors at key times in the game. That usually ends up beating you. I want to give my best to my departing seniors. I wish their season could have been better than it was.”
An two-run rally in the bottom of the first gave the Patriots the edge they needed.
“It started with Tanner (Henry) coming up with a big hit,” Gray said. “Tara (Williams) followed that up with a solid base hit and it kind of steamrolled from there.”
Henry doubled to begin the frame and Williams knocked her in with a single. After an out, Madison Walters banged a double to center that scored Williams.
In the third, the Patriots picked up two runs with the first being unearned. The other score came on a RBI double by Madison Rosenberger.
Rachel Sparks
Centerville scored its run in the fourth. Kaylin Smith led off with a single and later scored on a hit by Shelby Koch.
Union County ended the scoring in the fifth. Walters tripled and then scored on a throwing error. Rachel Sparks added a RBI double.
Sparks went the distance on the mound for the Patriots giving up four hits with six strikeouts.
“She was very accurate and moved the ball well and made things happen,” Gray said.
Honkomp also tossed a complete game as she allowed seven hits and struck out 10.
Big Inning Hurts Tigers
A five-run third inning proved to be the difference in the second game for the Panthers. They added three more unearned runs in the sixth.
Brytni Dale had the first hit of the game for the Tigers in the second inning and Gabby Willis added an infield single in the sixth.
“We didn’t hit the ball well,” Hagerstown Head Coach Kelsi Stotler said. “But we did step up there not scared to hit. They gave it their all.”
Dale threw a complete game and surrendered six hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Haley Fowler worked all seven innings for the Panthers and she fanned a dozen.
“She was hitting her locations,” Stotler said. “We weren’t used to that fast pitching.”
The Tigers finished their first season under Stotler at 9-12.
“I see a lot of promise,” Stotler said. “We’re going to work a lot in the off season.”