The 3rd Region Softball Tournament bracket has been released, and Daviess County is looking for its sixth straight title dating back to 2019. They finished this year’s regular season 23-3 and went a perfect 9-0 in region play.
The tournament will kick off later today at 11 am at Meade County, with the host school taking on Butler County in the first match of the day. The second game includes the Lady Panthers against Muhlenberg County, a team they have yet to face this season.
“Unfortunately, we got rained out, so we haven’t seen them play this year, but I have been following their scores,” Daviess County head coach John Biggs said. “Autumn does a great job, and she will have them ready. Some of our girls play with or against their girls in travel ball. We need to continue to be patient at the plate and get balls we can barrel up.”
As a team Daviess County is hitting .399, with 30 homers and 220 RBIs, compared to the Lady Mustangs who are hitting .346 as a team, with seven homers and 145 RBIs. While the Lady Panthers boast a deep lineup, the offense is led by junior Annie Newman, who is hitting an impressive .598, with 15 homers, and 46 RBIs.
On the mound, the Lady Panthers are led by the trio of Sophia Cain, Story Hume, and Kamryn Timmons, combining for 146 of the team’s 149 innings. Since returning from injury, Timmons has been on a completely different level, posting a 0.74 ERA, with 100 strikeouts in 47 innings.
On the other side of the bracket are Trinity (Whitesville) and Owensboro Catholic. The two split this season, with the Lady Raiders emerging victorious in the 3rd Region All “A” Classic finals.
“We know we are going to have to come out in the first inning playing our best,” Trinity (Whitesville) head coach Jessica Morris said. “We beat Catholic in the All “A” Regionals, but it was a tight game. They beat us late in the season. Our defense is going to have to be solid and our offense needs to be strong all the way through. We have made it this far and there is no backing down now. It is going to take our whole team working together, doing their jobs, and going from ‘good to great’.”
A young team, the Lady Raiders are back in the 3rd Region Tournament for the first time since 2019, where the Lady Aces boast a veteran lineup that is filled with playoff experience.
Offensively, Trinity is hitting .297, with nine homers and 134 RBIs, compared to the Lady Aces who are hitting .263, with 16 homers and 123 RBIs. Leading the way for Owensboro Catholic is Lily Logsdon, who leads the team in average (.302), homers (4), hits (26), and runs scored (30).
For Trinity, the team’s offensive x-factor is Sophie Hatfield, who is tied for the team lead in homers (4) and leads the way with 40 RBIs. Hatfield is also one of the team’s top pitchers, posting a 2.97 ERA, with 181 strikeouts across 151 innings.
Missing one of their top pitchers due to injury, Railey Scott has emerged in the Lady Aces rotation, posting a 4.72 ERA, with 46 strikeouts across 86 innings. In the team’s 9th District Tournament opener against Apollo, she gutted out a complete game, allowing one earned run over seven innings, to help her team punch their ticket to the 3rd Region Tournament.
“We face a common opponent in Trinity. We have played them twice this season, with both teams winning one,” Owensboro Catholic head coach Jeremy Phelps said. “Regional games generally come down to execution, both on offense and defense. Attention to details will be key for this team to advance.”
The last game of the day will see Hancock County take on Ohio County. The two teams split this season, with Ohio County winning the most recent matchup 1-0.
This year, the Lady Hornets hit .339 as a team, with 14 homers and 170 RBIs compared to the Lady Eagles, who hit .331, with seven homers and 206 RBIs. Hancock County’s offense runs through Baylee Estes, who leads the team in average (.431), hits (44), and stolen bases (28).
On the mound, Bella Bryant and Ryleigh French have thrown the bulk of the team’s innings, combining for 167 2/3 of the team’s 178 2/3 innings. They will have their hands full with Ohio County’s offense, which boasts six different players who have 20+ RBIs.
“The girls are excited about playing in the 3rd Region Tournament,” Hancock County head coach Dwayne Wroe said. “We split with Ohio County during the season, and they shut us out 1-0 in the last game at their place, so we obviously need to do a better job at the plate. We need to work on being more selective at the plate and driving the ball when we get our pitch. At this point in the season, there are no secrets. It’s just who hits the ball and makes the plays. It’s one game at a time and try to win and advance.”
