WCHS bows out after being blanked by Blaze
After falling in the first round of the 7-AAA softball tournament, Warren County’s girls battled their way back, only to come up just short of escaping the losers’ bracket.
The Lady Pioneers started the tourney with a loss to Oakland, but defeated Lebanon and Siegel to reach Wednesday night’s losers’ bracket semis.
Unfortunately for WCHS, an injury to Blackman’s starting pitcher meant they would have to try to come back against the Lady Blaze’s ace, and Natalie Papini was having none of it as she closed out a 2-0 Blackman win with four hitless innings, ousting the Lady Pioneers from this year’s tournament.
Wednesday’s start went to Blackman’s Jordan Abell, who gave up three hits over three innings, although the Lady Pioneers were never able to capitalize.
With two out in the first, Kayley Murray singled up the middle off Abell, but Katie Rogers grounded to third to end the threat. The Lady Pioneers also left a runner stranded in the second, when Anastasia Chisam was called out on strikes with Brooke Bowman aboard, then again in the third, when Linnsay Williamson was left at third after a grounder and fly ball to center.
In the bottom of the third, Abell connected for a two-out hit, but injured her arm stealing second base, meaning Papini ‘ who was waiting to potentially start the evening’s second game ‘ would have to come in early.
The junior hurler didn’t seem to mind the premature call to the pitching circle, as she fanned Rogers, Mary Kate Fisher and Bethni McGuire to begin a streak of retiring eight batters in order ‘ six via the strikeout.
In all, Papini sat down 12 of the 13 Lady Pioneers she faced. Murray drew a four-pitch walk with two out in the sixth, but Rogers popped up to the shortstop to end that inning, and WCHS failed to get the ball out of the infield in the seventh.
Williamson, Murray and Bowman had the Lady Pioneers’ only three hits, while Kaitom Tanner took the loss, giving up six hits, two walks and two runs while recording a pair of strikeouts.
Both Blackman runs came with two out in the first, as Amanda VanVranken and Abell hit back-to-back singles and came home when Lauren Dorsett doubled to right.
Abell took the win, with three innings of three-hit ball, while Papini walked one and fanned six over the final four frames of the contest.
Papini’s heroics didn’t end on the pitching rubber, as she drove in the only run in Wednesday’s second game, allowing Blackman to reach the tournament championship by edging Oakland 1-0 in eight innings.