5th Region Softball Tournament Preview
The 5th Region Softball Tournament gets underway today at 11:00 am with four games at Central Hardin high school and there are plenty of questions as well as great storylines as we try to decide seven games who will represent the 5th Region. Obviously, the host team (Central Hardin) will be a strong favorite, but there are seven other teams trying to knock them off their perch.
LaRue County (21-14) vs. Taylor County (19-11) 11:00 am – Two of the surprise teams of the Region start things off and there probably isn’t another team with more questions than the Cardinals. Under coach Neil Sanders, Taylor County has defeated the likes of Central Hardin, Marion County and Elizabethtown despite dropping a shocker to LaRue County in the last week of the regular season. Pitcher Autumn Henderson has been a consistent Ace all season and the Cardinals have experience in other positions with Danielle Sublett and McKenzie Cox to make a run. LaRue County has been a bigger surprise with wins over Hart County and Taylor County to close the season and coach Rocky Cundiff has two senior hurlers in Sarah Calhoun and Kellee Cundiff along with hitters like Emma Bell and Lauren Pollard to produce the offense.
Central Hardin (31-7) vs. Bethlehem (22-10) 1:00 pm – The second game pits the powerful Lady Bruins against the Banshees and there could be fireworks. Central Hardin is trying to become the first 5th Region team to win five straight regional championships in softball and looking at the batting lineup of Peyton Beger, Bailey Richardson, Emily Bryant and Angel Ashlock, the lady Bruins have power and balance at every position. Senior Ace Kaci Geodde is one of the best in the state and the defense has held teams to just 106-runs in 38-games. On the other hand, Bethlehem has quietly won 22-games and has put together one of the best records in the region. Coach Shaun Smith has a 14-game winner in Kaitlyn Cissell and balanced hitters in Kennedy Warden, Emma Mattingly and Carly Jones.
Green County (29-6) vs. Marion County (19-11) 3:00 pm – This should be a great game with the Lady Dragons and the Lady Knights in game three. Green County has no disappointed with power and balance on both offense and defense starting with senior pitcher Abigail Keltner, who has won 17-games and is batting 411 on the season. Youth is served with freshman first baseman Tanlee Hudgins leading the team with a.504 batting average, 58-hits, 46-RBI’s and leads the team with 10-HRs. Madi Corbin and Haley Judd are right behind her hitting .440 and .431. Catcher Kiley McCubbins has stepped into Judd’s old position as catcher and the team hasn’t missed a beat. The Lady Knights were rolling right along until pitcher Haley Mattingly was forced out of action and Maggie Overstreet and Jordan Browning have taken over on the circle and have done a credible job, but there is no question that a healthy Mattingly brings a different Marion County team in the Tourney. Still, the Lady Knights have gotten great seasons out of Abby Scott, Overstreet, Alexis Wheeler and Emily Helms at the plate.
Elizabethtown (15-14) vs. Washington County (21-7) 5:00 pm – The last game is a rematch of last year’s first round thriller which saw the Lady Panthers advance to the second round. The Lady Panthers have made back-to-back trips to the Region Tourney for the first time EVER since fast pitch started in 1996 and coach Jimmy Schmidt has found a winning combo in pitchers Trista Colasonti and Kylie McKinney and the power hitting of Hannah Riley and Joella Castillo. Meanwhile, coach Christy Baker has a 21-game winner with veteran pitching in Trinity Baker (10-4), Maddie Pettis (11-3) and Haylee Graves. Baker is the team’s most consistent hitter with a .522 batting average and both Pettis (.447) and Graves (.456) are right behind her. Both Baker and Emily Middleton are the team’s best long ball threats with 17-HRs combined.
If weather permits, the semi-finals will be Tuesday and Wednesday will have a 6:30 start for the Championship.
