The Scott Eagles softball team (15-12) knew what Bracken County junior pitcher Ella Johnson brought to the table having faced her twice already.
The difference between the two regular season meetings and this one is the Eagles grabbed the lead for the first time all season against the Polar Bears (24-12) in the top of the fourth. But Scott’s defensive woes showed up in the bottom of the inning and it cost the Eagles in a 4-1 10th Region quarterfinal defeat at Bourbon County.
“They did the best they could,” said Lisa Brewer, Scott head coach. “It’s the same story. The other team played better defense that we did. We had them all positioned where they needed to be. Unfortunately, it happens in games. You hope to battle back from it. Unfortunately, we didn’t.”
Johnson showed why she has a 1.66 earned-run average coming into the game pitching a complete game. She struck out 10, walked just one and held the Eagles to two hits.
Johnson also hurt the Eagles at the plate going 2-for-3. She smacked her third home run of the season to lead off the bottom of the sixth to make the final score.
Scott junior pitcher Emma Scribner tried to match Johnson on the mound. She retired the first eight batters she faced after Johnson retired the first 10. Scribner struck out five and walked two, holding the Polar Bears to five hits.
The Eagles scored the game’s first run in the top of the fourth. With one out, sophomore center fielder Elise Manhardt recorded an infield single and sophomore third baseman Addyson Riley moved her to second on a groundout. Scribner then singled Manardt to third before Manhardt scored on a wild pitch.
Scott put one more runner on base after that inning. It came in the top of the sixth when sophomore right fielder Lainey Jones drew a walk to lead off the inning. But Jones did not advance as Johnson retired the next Eagle batters.
Bracken County put some things together in the fourth. Junior first baseman Kamryn Gordley walked and Johnson singled her to second. After a pop out, sophomore catcher Whitney Lippert singled to left and Gordley tried to score. But Scott senior left fielder Mesa McQueen came up firing to sophomore catcher Emerson Morman at home for the second out.
“I just saw the runner on second and I knew that I just had to throw the runner out at home,” McQueen said. “Emerson did an amazing job to get my throw and tag her out. She deserves some credit too.”
Scott appeared to be out of the inning when Scribner got senior Jalyn Hamilton to hit a soft grounder to the left side. But Scott misplayed it allowing, two runs to score giving the Polar Bears the lead for good at 2-1.
But Bracken County did not stop there. Senior second baseman Kiersten Bess landed a bunt to the left side and Scott threw it past first base into right field allowing seventh grade pinch runner Isabella Godman to score putting the Polar Bears up 3-1.
The Eagles graduate three seniors in McQueen, shortstop Audrey Griffin and first baseman Kayla Overman. Griffin just signed to play volleyball at Mount St. Joseph and Overman will play basketball at Kentucky Christian University.
“I think as a team we battled,” McQueen said. “We worked all the way up unto this point in the season. It was just amazing to play with them here.”
This marked the final game for Brewer as head coach after 25 years in education. All but one came at Scott.
“It’s what I lived and breathed for 24 years,” Brewer said. “(The seniors) are awesome. I had Kayla and Audrey for six years and Mesa for five. They contributed and they were great for the program.”
Brewer led Scott to the 37th District championship in 2010. The Eagles are still searching for their first region tournament win since joining in 2005 and their first region tournament win since 2003. Scott made it back to the region tournament this season for the first time since 2019.