A five-run first inning by the South Warren
Lady Spartans proved to be too great of an obstacle for the Allen
County-Scottsville Lady Patriots to overcome Wednesday in the semifinals of the
Region 4 softball tournament. South Warren controlled the game the rest of the
way, handing AC-S a 12-1 defeat and ending the season for the Lady Patriots.
The outcome was---for all intent---decided
in the first South Warren at bat. Perhaps it was nerves or perhaps just a bad
inning, but a series of passed balls, wild pitches, and an error allowed the
Lady Spartans to grab a lead they would not relinquish.
A single to start the game by Lauren Martin,
a passed ball, and a RBI single by Jessica Bush staked South Warren to a 1-0
lead in the top of the first. Lady Patriot starter Kris-Anne Pardue continued
to struggle with control---hitting Madison Stumbo and walking Alexis Isable to
load the bases. Bush would score the Lady Spartans second run on a wild pitch
and Emma Mills reached after a dropped third strike and no put out. An error by
Allie Byrn led allowed a third South run to score. Moments later, a second wild
pitch/passed ball plated Isable to give the Lady Spartans a 4-0 lead. South’s Bailee
Collins singled home Mills to stake her team to a 5-0 lead.
After a stunned AC-S squad went in order in
the home half of the first, South Warren took advantage of a walk and two
singles to add a run in the second. Bauley Ausbrooks singled in the second for
AC-S but the Lady Patriots were unable to take advantage of having a base
runner.
Such would not be the case for the Lady
Spartans in the third. Coffee singled, moved to second on a passed ball, and
scored on Martin’s single to left center. Two single and a hit batter later,
the Lady Spartans added a run to open an 8-0 lead. South Warren added four runs
in the top of the seventh---two runs coming on a double by Isable and two runs
on a homer from Mills.
The Lady Patriots would not have another
base runner---with the exception of Taylor Stamps who walked in the bottom of
the third---until the team’s final at bat. Singles by Madi Gregory and
Kris-Anne Pardue helped AC-S avoid the shutout. Jae McReynolds’ hard hit ball
to short resulted in an error, this allowing Byrn---who reached on a fielder’s
choice play--to score her team’s only run of the game.
AC-S (24-11-2) finished with three hits.
South Warren’s 12 runs came on 14 hits off Pardue. The Lady Patriots left four
runners on base while the Lady Spartans left 10 runners on the bags.
The loss ended the high school careers of
six AC-S seniors---Jordan Anderson, Kassi Bullington, Alex Coleman, Kris-Anne
Pardue, KaeLee Stafford, and Taylor Stamps.
The defeat also ends the career of Pardue
who has been a mainstay on the mound for five years. Pardue closes a
five-year varsity career. Pardue finishes with a 64-32 record. She was a
starter in 97 games in the last five year, played in 122 games, and pitched
613.1 innings. In the last five seasons, Pardue struck out 361 batters,
including 112 this year. Her five-year ERA average is 2.58.
Stamps will continue of softball career. Stamps
was hitless in the 12-1 loss to the Lady Spartans but still finishes the season
at the team leading hitter with a .427 average. For the year, Stamps led the
team in hits (50), was second in doubles (11), and had a slugging
percentage of .564. Stamps will play college ball at Transylvania University in
Lexington.
South
Warren (22-8) lost to Warren East Friday night in the regional title game.
Pardue, McReynolds, and Gregory were the Lady Patriots named to the All-Region
4 tournament team.