NEW MARKET — Southmont’s softball team made it a memorable Memorial Day as they defeated North Putnam 1-0 in the first game of the 2A Sectional 41 Tournament.
The win avenges two regular season losses to the Cougars and moves them into the sectional semifinals on Tuesday, where they will face Greencastle.
“Our poise was unreal,” Mounties coach Dan Taylor said of his squad, who got a run in the fourth and made it stand. “We showed we could win the big game, face a great pitcher and great team. We stayed calm when we didn’t score, and then, when we got that run, our girls acted like they were going to win. I’m so incredibly proud of them.”
The Mounties got that run in the fourth playing small-ball.
Junior designated player Sammie Crosby, facing Cougars’ ace Tori Detro for the second time in the game, caught a 3-1 pitch in the middle of the bat, and hit the left-center field fence for a standup double. Navaeh Ward came in as the courtesy runner for Crosby.
Next up, No. 8 hitter Kendall Priebe did what a couple of teammates had not been able to do in earlier innings, and laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, moving Ward to third.
After a strikeout, it was leadoff hitter Kaylee Turner back at the plate. The sophomore had a double in the first inning, but was stranded along with two other runners.
“Detro no-hit us for 10 straight innings (over two games),” Taylor said of the sophomore star during Monon Conference play. “Our goal coming into the tournament was simply to make contact, and put the ball in play.”
Which is just what Turner did.
She hit one literally off the end of the bat, and it buzzed toward the pitching circle spinning like a turbocharger.
Detro had an easy play, except the ball was spinning so hard that it touched her glove and spun away. It was recorded as an error, but the rpm-single got Turner to first and Ward across the plate.
“Crosby is such a savvy hitter,” Taylor said. “She had a couple clutch hits against WeBo last week (a conference sweep to end the season) and the double changed the game. Priebe laid down such a good bunt and Turner put it in play.”
That was the offense.
The defense drew a line in the agri-lime and didn’t let the Cougars pass.
It started with Ella Barry in the pitching circle and flowed outward, as the Mounties had only one error behind Barry’s scattering five hits.
The sophomore struck out 12 and walked not a single batter. Her season now reads 202 whiffs and 13 walks issued. She threw 82 pitches, and 67 were for strikes.
The Cougars got a couple runners on base in the early innings, and their last/best threat came in the sixth. The first two hitters singled and moved up a base, so with one out, there were two runners in scoring position.
Two infield fly balls ended that threat.
“Ella was in control,” Taylor said. “We knew that it would take a nearly perfect game to get to Detro and beat an extra-good North Putnam team. We were better against Detro at the plate, Ella was Ella and we move on. We are playing good softball right now, and the two wins over WeBo last week gave us a lot of confidence.”
The Cougars finish their season 18-5. They were second in the Monon behind Cascade. They were fifth in the 2A Coaches Poll.
Detro allowed only three South hits, as the sophomore, a teammate of Barry’s in travel-ball struck out six and walked four, but three of the four walks were intentional passes to Barry.
On that travel-ball teammate note, Detro did strike out Barry once, this after Barry had struck Detro out three times in the regular season.
The Mounties sit at 16-5, but most importantly, 1-0 and alive in the playoffs. They are 10th in the Coaches Poll.
Next up is another Monon foe. It’s a game against Greencastle in the semifinals on Tuesday night at Southmont.
South won both regular season games, 5-2 and 8-1.
“Greencastle is a good team,” Taylor said, “and we will face another great pitcher in Ali Hassler.”
The senior threw 103 of the 119 innings the Tiger Cubs played this season. She has 164 strikeouts and 18 walks. Greencastle is 13-10 and finished in the middle of the Monon standings.
They are three-time sectional champs.
“Hassler has never lost a sectional game,” Taylor said.
The game is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. first pitch. The winner heads to the championship game on Wednesday, also at South.
