The Case For Central Hardin!!!
It had been a long time since a team repeated as 5th Region Champions in softball and that team no longer was a member of this region (Meade County), but the Central Hardin softball team finally broke the string last season with a resounding performance in the Region Tournament at LaRue County. It was the team’s sixth trip to the KHSAA State Tournament and things could be looking up again this season.
At this point in the season, Central Hardin currently sits with a 23-7 record after playing one of the toughest schedules in the state. The Lady Bruins haven’t lost a District game since 2010 and it doesn’t look like that will change any time soon. Despite constant graduations, head coach Jaime Goodman’s team constantly reloads with fresh talent and this year is no different. The pitching is young with ace Kaci Goedde just a sophomore and eighth-grader Eleecia Hager and freshman Baylee Hardeman not too far behind. The batting lineup is chocked full of hitters such as freshman Emily Bryant, junior Meredith Jones, seniors Amanda Shackelford and Aubree Muse.
Central Hardin has run the table against the Region’s best including Hart County and Green County. The team’s 12-7 come from behind win against the Lady Raiders was a perfect example of their explosive power. After falling behind 6-0 after two innings and making mistakes that were uncharacteristic of their efficient defense, the team exploded for six-runs including four home runs against Hart County’s ace Katie Collins. Three of those round trippers were by senior pitcher Lexus Gonterman, who was the starting pitcher, but was relieved by Goedde.
What could trip this team up?
What usually does in all good teams. One bad game or maybe facing a team’s pitcher, who they hadn’t seen yet. Errors can come at the worst time in a championship game and that’s something Goodman constantly preaches that you always have to be prepared because the Lady Bruins have been winners for a long time and the target of more than a few rivals. The 2014 5th Region Championship was a perfect example as Central Hardin’s pitching duo of April Pence and Jessica Nall held Green County’s batters to just one hit, but lost 3-2.
Yet despite the team’s core youth, they always seem to be prepared and play aggressive both offensively and defensively. So it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Lady Bruins playing during the second week of June.
