Softball recap (May 14): DCHS, AHS, OCHS

May 14, 2022 | 12:04 am

Updated May 14, 2022 | 12:44 am

Daviess County couldn’t string together runs late on Friday and Owensboro Catholic’s losing streak extended to four games in the regular season finale, while Apollo grabbed a win to start out its weekend tournament.

Daviess County vs. Heritage Hills

The Lady Panthers left a barrage of runners in scoring position late on Friday, ultimately costing them in an 8-7 extra-inning loss to Heritage Hills.

It was a slow start for Daviess County as they got a run on an RBI double from senior Millie Roberts in the bottom of the first, but Heritage Hills had already put up four runs in the top of the first to take a 4-1 lead going into the second.

An error in the top of the third added another run to Heritage Hills’ lead, but the Lady Panthers began to chip away at the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Following a leadoff single from senior Hattie Newman, Roberts followed with her second RBI double of the day to make it a 5-2 game.

Senior Katie Mewes followed with an RBI groundout later in the inning, cutting Daviess County’s deficit to 5-3 going into the fourth. Meanwhile, eighth grader Sophia Cain was keeping Heritage Hills at bay in relief, keeping the game at 5-2 going into the bottom of the sixth.

A hit by pitch and a single from senior Seana Leibfried to kick off the bottom of the sixth seemed to put the Lady Panthers with a chance for a huge scoring threat, but a line out and groundout threatened it with two outs. But senior Kinsey Vergason came through with a big RBI double to left, scoring two to knot things up at 5-5 going into the seventh.

Heritage Hills came alive in the top of the seventh after three straight scoreless innings though, figuring out Cain and grabbing two runs to take a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Once again Daviess County didn’t bow out, as back-to-back singles led to Mewes delivering a two-run double to knot things up at 7-7. 

Mewes was later thrown out at the plate on a single from eighth grader Annie Newman, ending the scoring threat as they came up empty with the bases loaded and two outs and sent the game into extras. Heritage Hills wasted no time reclaiming the lead in the top of the eighth, getting a one-out RBI double to make it an 8-7 game. 

The Lady Panthers were able to load the bases once again after a leadoff single and intentional walk to start the bottom of the eighth, but a strikeout, pop out and groundout ended the bases-loaded threat for the second straight inning as they lost 8-7.

Errors plagued junior Alexis Jackson in her start, as she allowed five runs—with one being earned because of two errors—and six hits in her two innings on the mound. Cain allowed just one earned run on four hits in six innings of relief, while striking out seven.

Offensively Daviess County was led by Mewes who had three RBIs and Roberts and Vergason who had a pair each.

The Lady Panthers fall to 24-5 with the loss, as they will look to bounce back on Saturday when they take on Warren East at 1 p.m. to wrap up the Team Lauren Cancer Awareness Tournament.

Apollo vs. Franklin-Simpson

Some late offense from the E-gals was a crucial factor in 6-2 win over Franklin-Simpson on Friday.

Apollo and the Lady Wildcats found themselves in a pitcher’s duel early on, as the game remained tied at 0-0 through the first four innings of play.

It was Franklin-Simpson that would break through first, as two singles led to an RBI groundout from junior Hanna Arthur and a 1-0 lead for the Lady Wildcats going into the bottom of the fifth. However, the E-gals didn’t let them keep the lead long.

Freshman Macy Calhoun led off the inning with a single, then an error allowed a run to score and tie the game at 1-1 before sophomore Mallory Velotta was walked. Another error gave Apollo its first lead of the day, before RBI singles from junior Emmie Bullington and seventh grader Lily Logsdon made it 4-1 going into the sixth.

Franklin-Simpson grabbed one more run in the top of the sixth to try and spark a comeback, but the E-gals responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 6-2 lead. This gave Bullington all she needed to close the door and her start and earn the 6-2 win for Apollo.

Bullington tossed all seven innings in the circle for the E-gals, allowing two earned runs on seven hits, while walking one and striking out three. Offensively Apollo had Velotta, Logsdon and Bullington were the only players to record RBIs with one each.

The E-gals improve to 15-13 overall with their second straight win, as they will look to grab two more wins on Saturday to close out the regular season when they take on Bowling Green and Great Crossing at 10 a.m. and noon respectively. 

Owensboro Catholic vs. Jasper

The Lady Aces recent struggles continued on Friday, as they weren’t able to stifle Jasper’s offense late and went on to lose 7-4.

Owensboro Catholic got off to a strong start, grabbing the first lead of the game in the top of the first thanks to an RBI double from junior Bailey Hamilton and an error that plated a run. The Lady Aces got another one thanks to a passed ball in the top of the second, giving them a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the second.

Jasper finally broke through in the bottom of the third, grabbing two runs to cut its deficit to 3-2. Owensboro Catholic responded with a run in the top of the fifth on an RBI double from junior Brooke Hamilton, but in the bottom half of the inning Jasper rattled off three runs to take a 5-4 lead.

They didn’t stop there either, as Jasper padded their lead with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth and eventually went on to claim the 7-4 win.

Brooke Hamilton didn’t have her best stuff in the circle, tossing all six innings while allowing seven earned runs on five hits, walking seven and striking out nine. Offensively senior Camille Conkright was the only player to record more than one hit for the Lady Aces with four, while the Hamilton sisters were the only players with RBIs on the day.

Owensboro Catholic’s losing streak rises to four games following the regular season finale, as they will now turn their attention to a first-round district matchup with Apollo at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

May 14, 2022 | 12:04 am

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