For Bishop Brossart and Campbell County, Thursday’s 10th Region softball semifinals were perhaps best forgotten.
The Lady ‘Stangs and Camels lost by mercy-rule scores at Bracken County Middle School. George Rogers Clark eliminated Brossart, 12-1 in five innings, while defending champion Harrison County needed six to take out Campbell County, 10-0.
Brossart (24-10) graduates just three seniors – Rachel Shewmaker, Olivia Hildebrand and Madison Dozier, while Campbell County loses seven.
“I just think of all the years I played here,” Shewmaker said. “I’ve been playing here since seventh grade.”
Harrison County and GRC play for the title at 1 p.m. Saturday.
George Rogers Clark 12, Bishop Brossart 1
The female Brossart fan offered a single-sentence summary about GRC.
“They’re a good-hitting team,” she said.
GRC certainly was Thursday – the Cardinals pounded out 14 hits to the Lady ‘Stangs’ three. The Cardinals had power, too – Arabella Guinn and Jillian Franco homered.
Brossart finished at 24-12. Coach Tom Baynum talked about the future, which includes freshman Cayce Merkley.
“I mean, it’s nerve-wracking to be the future of it, but I think if we all keep working together and working hard … we’ll have good seasons for the rest of my years and for all the people who are coming up,” Merkley said.
Junior Kayleigh Stadelmann mentioned three late-season highlights: winning a regional game for the first time since 2017; ending a four-season losing streak against Bracken County; and beating Campbell County for the 37th District – the first district title since 2016.
“(Campbell County), they’re our local rival … it was great beating them in the regular (season) and even better in the district,” Stadelmann said.
GRC (35-5) took advantage of a first-inning Brossart error, turning it into a 3-0 lead on singles by Addison Mathews and Jayda Grigsby and Lilliana Hill’s sacrifice grounder to Brossart starter Anna Bezold.
The second inning, however, effectively ended any lingering suspense when the Cardinals scored five runs on Guinn’s and Franco’s long, far hits off Bezold.
GRC coach Matt Puckett thought Monday’s 10-9 comeback win over Pendleton County injected confidence Thursday; he said playing the Wildcats was the toughest first-round game he thought he could get
“They knew coming into this game (vs. Brossart) that we were going to see a pitcher that gets a lot of contact,” Puckett said. “… So to put up (14) hits today, all year long, they made the adjustment, and (Thursday) was no different.”
What almost went unnoticed was GRC pitcher Jordyn Abner – she allowed only a Cayce Merkley double through four innings.
Brossart avoided the shutout in the fifth when Ava Freppon singled, moved to second and third on a wild pitch and passed ball and scored on Tessa Wells’ single.
“(GRC) just, they hit a lot of holes,” Baynum said. “You’ve got to give them credit for getting the ball in play, and we didn’t get anything going until the fifth inning when it’s too late – we’re down 12-nothing.”
Merkley and Stadelmann were named to the all-tournament team. Merkley hit .400 (2-for-3 in Monday’s 8-5 win over Bracken County and 1-for-2 against GRC), which Stadelmann matched with a double and two runs scored against the Polar Bears.
Harrison County 10, Campbell County 0
Through understandable tears, Camels pitcher Hope Hamilton reflected on being one of the seniors who set a high standard, joining Emma Schultz, Faith Whitford, Addysen Griffin, Lilly Phirman, Mallory Fleckenstein and Samantha Perry.
Hamilton’s advice for future Camels is simply to live in the moment.
“Because you never know what’s going to happen,” she said. “… I think that you have to support each other, no matter what.”
Campbell County coach Sandi Kitchen said the seniors “all giving.”
“And they all really work well together,” Kitchen said. “I never had a group of seniors that had the chemistry this group had.”
Fillies starter Shyanne Ross befuddled Campbell County (22-8) all evening – she struck out seven through five innings.
“I wouldn’t say a specific pitch,” Hamilton said. “I’d say the speed; she’s pretty quick … I think we should’ve started hitting a little bit sooner.”
A first-inning matchup between Ross and Whitford illustrated how tough Ross was. She gave the right-handed Whitford a low outside fastball and struck her out with high heat.
Ross, who signed with Austin Peay, has been working on her velocity; her sophomore year, her fastball traveled at just 53 mph, but this season she’s hit 64 mph.
“I think my speed right now is pretty good going in,” Ross said.
Freshman Aleigha Newby and Karsyn Bennett gave Campbell County (22-8) all kinds of problems as the Fillies sent 10 to the plate and scored six runs. Newby drove in three with her first home run, and Bennett’s double plated the other three.
“We had no answer for (Newby),” Kitchen said. “I mean, we just put the ball in the wrong place.”
Ross’ double and Isabella Persinger’s one-out single ended the game.
Phirman and Hamilton and made the all-tournament team.
LADY CARDINALS 12, LADY ‘STANGS 1 (5 innings)
GEORGE ROGERS CLARK 350 22 – 12 14 0
BISHOP BROSSART 000 01 – 1-3-1
Batteries: Abner and Mathews; Bezold and Robinson. WP: Abner (9-0). LP-.Bezold (20-7). 2B-Merkley (BB). HR-Guinn (GRC), Franco (GRC).
Records: Bishop Brossart 24-12, GRC 35-5.
FILLIES 10, CAMELS 0 (6 innings)
CAMPBELL COUNTY 000 000 – 0 3 3
HARRISON COUNTY 620 101 – 10 8 1
Batteries: Gugel (7-3), Hamilton (2) and Phirman; Ross, I. Persinger (6) and K. Persinger, Lamb (4). WP-Ross (16-3). LP-Gugel (7-3). 2B-Bennett (HC), Ross (HC). 3B-. HR-Newby (HC) 2.
Records: Campbell County 22-8, Harrison County 32-6.