When Apollo Head Coach Stephen Julian turned in his lineup card, there was a small tweak that may have gone under the radar – bumping Tyler Hall down one spot in the offense to fourth.
The move paid dividends as the junior finished 4-4 with three doubles and three RBIs to power the E-Gals to a 13-0 win over Hancock County and a return to the 3rd Region Championship game that was nine years in the making.
“The third inning sparked us. Mollie threw well early, the girls made routine plays behind her, and the bats came to life,” Apollo Head Coach Stephen Julian said. “When you score, it helps. We hit with authority today, and it was a fun win for us.”
After a scoreless first inning, Apollo took a 1-0 lead in the second when Hannah Holder stole home. The E-Gals doubled their lead in the third on Halls’ second double of the game before blowing the game open in the fourth.
Scoring five runs in the inning, Arianna Ramriez kick-started the barrage with a three-run homer. A couple of batters later, Hall doubled home Emersyn Bullington, and then immediately scored on a Liza Page single.
The E-Gals iced the game in the fifth thanks to RBI singles by Keelan Wettstain, Hall, and Page, and a Holder sacrifice fly.
Making her fourth straight start in the circle, Mollie Julian baffled the Lady Hornets hitters at every opportunity, holding them to two hits and striking out three over four shutout innings. Holder took over in the fifth, pitching a perfect inning.
Gracie Gaynor and Bella Bryant had Hancock County’s two lone hits, and both pitched in the circle, alongside Ryleigh French. Despite the loss, it was a successful season for the Lady Hornets, as they finished the season 25-11.
“We just ran into a team that is playing their best softball of the season,” Hancock County Head Coach Dwayne Wroe said. “…I am proud of the girls for the season we had. I told them not to let this game dictate their season. We ended up winning 25 games, the All-A Region, and the 11th District Championship. We just have to get to work and get better.”
Awaiting Apollo in the 3rd Region Championship game is a familiar opponent in Daviess County, whom they have already played three times this season.
“It’s another game, and you never know how the girls will respond,” Julian said. “I think we will come out loose and ready to play, and we are here to compete and just see what we can do.”
