After the 9th District Softball Tournament final was scheduled for Tuesday, Mother Nature grabbed three wins in three days but when the skies cleared and the fields were dry, it was time for a championship battle on Friday between Daviess County and Owensboro Catholic at OCHS.
The Lady Panthers jumped out to a lead in the first inning and never trailed as they took down the Lady Aces 7-5 for their second-straight district crown.
“I like that we set the tone early,” DC coach John Biggs said. “We were able to get some runs on early in the game. I felt like we were patient and that’s what we’re trying to continue doing.”
Daviess County scored three runs in the bottom of the first but Catholic answered with a run in the top of the third to make it 3-1 DC after three.
Brooke Hamilton homered for the Aces to cut it to one but Catholic couldn’t get over the hump the rest of the way.
The Panthers led 6-3 after five before each team saw the scoreboard change in the last two frames before Daviess grabbed the 7-5 win.
Each time Catholic would get close in the game, the Panthers would respond with a play of their own in the bottom half of the frame.
“That was key,” Biggs said. “It seemed like every time they did score a run, we were able to answer or at least get people on base. Early on, we left some runners stranded … Probably should have gotten more runs but that’s part of the game. Got to execute a little bit better.”
Greysee Whiteker earned the win in the circle for the Panthers.
Biggs said he thinks Friday’s game will give them a boost as 3rd Region play starts today in Butler County.
“I think being a tight game like that, it’s something that we can build on and use going forward,” Biggs said. “Once you get into region play, it’s now one and done. We’ve been in those tight situations.”
Catholic coach Jeremy Phelps said his squad needs to have a short memory as they’ll suit up today against Muhlenberg County at 2 p.m.
“They’ve got to be able to clear it and go to that next game mentality,” he said. “Saturday starts advance or go home. You’ve got to survive and advance … I think that’s the mentality they’ve got to set. That game hurts, they want to win that game but they’ve got to be able to get over it tonight and be ready.”
Phelps said his team played well Friday but they made a couple of mistakes and when it comes to this time of the year, the margin of error is small.
“We fought well but little things. We talk about the little things all the time,” he said. “One thing here or there and it changes the whole game.”
Daviess County plays at Noon today against Meade County while Catholic plays the Lady Mustangs at 2 p.m.
