Finding herself in a bases-loaded jam with no outs, Owensboro Catholic pitcher Hannah Robbins took a deep breath and attacked the Hancock County hitters. She struck out Ansley House on an outside pitch before getting Ryleigh French to pop up and Baylee Estes to ground into a fielder’s choice to secure the 5-4 win and advance back to the 3rd Region All A Championship.
“I just tried to get outs and trusted my defense,” Robbins said. “…My coach called great pitches, and I placed it where I needed to place it and hit my spots.”
Trailing 4-3 at the top of the seventh, the Lady Aces’ Emma Riney and Lily Logsdon singled and doubled to start the inning. After a lineout, the Lady Hornets intentionally walked Tyranda Stuart to load the bases before a fielder’s choice led to the runner at the plate being thrown out. Down to their last out, Robbins singled in Logsdon and Stuart to regain the lead.
“In the sixth inning we had runners on second and third with no outs, and we needed a two-out hit to score a run,” Hancock County head coach Dwayne Roe said. “In the last inning, we had bases loaded with no outs. We have to score there. It’s tough, but some of us are young and haven’t been in this type of pressure situation. They will grow from it and get better.”
The Lady Aces jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the tip of the first thanks to a RBI double by Stuart. A Mosby doubled home Estes in the bottom of the third to tie it and then Madysin Higdon drove her in on a fielders choice for a 2-1 lead. Hancock County made it 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth after a RBI single by Estes.
In the top of the fifth, Stuart had her second RBI double of the game to cut it to 3-2, before Robbins tied it an inning later on a homer. Audrey Carnes hit an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth to put Hancock County back on top 4-3.
Stuart and Robbins led the way at the plate for Owensboro Catholic, combining for four hits and five RBIs. Robbins threw a complete game, allowing three earned runs over seven innings, striking out seven. The Lady Hornets Carnes finished 3-4 with an RBI, while Estes went 2-4 with an RBI and a walk. Bella Bryant started in the circle, allowing five earned runs over seven innings, striking out three.
“We told the girls that we have had games like this throughout the year, and we knew Hancock County were in similar games,” Owensboro Catholic head coach Jermey Phelps said. “We knew it was going to take all seven innings and the last few times we played them it came down to the last couple innings.”
Back in the 3rd Region All A Championship game, standing in the way is Trinity (Whitesville).
“They have a nice team. I watched them play in Florida, I saw their scores, and I know a lot of their players,” Phelps said. “It will be no different than today’s game. They have a really good pitcher, so that will be up to us to make adjustments. It will be a good one.”
All ticket proceeds from the game will go to McLean County schools who are recovering from the storm damage.
