Handicapping the Field for the 4th Region Softball Championship
By Perry Swack
Favorite
South Warren
The Lady Spartans are the favorite to win their first region championship since 2017. South Warren was 28-1 at the time of publication and had won eleven-straight games. Coach Kelly Reynolds’ club was ranked #1 in the state at the time of this writing, even making an appearance in various national polls. This club has all the tools to make a deep run through the 4th Region and state tournament. Emily Reynolds and Selynna Metcalfe have had outstanding seasons on the mound and at the plate.
At the time of publication, Reynolds was 11-1 with a 1.69 ERA in 74.2 innings pitched with 87 strikeouts. Metcalfe was 7-0 with a 1.12 ERA and 46 strikeouts. At the plate, Reynolds was batting .412, while Metcalfe was hitting .404 with a team-leading 11 doubles and seven home runs. Caroline Pitcock was batting a whopping .559 with 52 hits, 34 RBI, and seven home runs. In 2017, the Lady Spartans finished third in the state tournament. The 2021 version can certainly make it that far and beyond should they qualify with a region title.
Contenders
Greenwood
Greenwood has been ranked within the top 20 of the state rankings all season and are certainly a contender for the 4th Region title. The Lady Gators have played one of the state’s toughest schedules, picking up wins against some of the state’s elite like Ballard, Male, McCracken County, Central Hardin, and Christian County. Josi Morrison has been on fire at the plate, batting .341 with nine doubles, eight home runs, and 34 RBI. Allison Bush leads the team on the mound, racking up a record of 14-3 at the time of publication with 141 strikeouts in 99.2 innings pitched. Coach Taylor Proctor’s club split with Warren East in the regular season, trading 3-0 wins. It will likely come down to a Gator-Raider battle to see who qualifies for the region tournament.
Warren East
The two-time defending champion Warren East Lady Raiders started the season ranked among the state’s elite after reaching consecutive state championship games in 2018 and 2019. The squad started the season 12-4 but struggled in early May – losing five out of seven games. Emma Markham has been a strikeout machine, ranking in the state’s top six in both total Ks (251) and Ks/7 innings (12.76). Her earned run average is also one of the state’s best at 1.37. Emma Young is batting .481 with 37 hits, 24 RBI, and 11 doubles, while Lucy Patterson is batting .454 with a team-leading 44 hits to go with nine doubles and three triples. In 97 at-bats, Patterson has only struck out twice. As noted above, the Lady Raider’s postseason hopes will likely come down to a game in the district tournament against Greenwood. From there, this team can do some serious damage.
Sleepers
Barren County
Barren County last reached the region semifinals in 2017 after blanking Logan County, 3-0, before being ousted by Warren East. This Trojanette club is looking to win consecutive 15th District titles in at least the last 23 years (the earliest KHSAA provides historical data). They will have the ability to achieve that feat as the #1 seed in the district tournament. Coach Daryl Murphy’s club started the season 9-0 and put together a separate win streak of eight games that spanned late April into early May. The Trojanettes are incredibly balanced up and down their lineup with seven players logging 20 hits while batting over .300 at the time of publication. Lara Simmons leads the team at .429 with 36 hits, while Katie Murphy is batting .378 and leads the team in runs scored (37), triples (5), and is a perfect 15-for-15 on stolen bases. Lilie Broady has been the season’s ace with a 17-4 record, 1.97 ERA, and 135 strikeouts in 128 innings pitched. The Trojanettes are a sleeper to the crown and have a chance to make some noise at WKU.
Allen County-Scottsville
The Lady Patriots are a sleeper to the 4th Region crown in large part due to their consistency at the plate. As a team, ACS is ranked statewide in batting average, hits, and doubles. Coach Brad Bonds’ club was in the top 15 in all three categories at the time of publication. They are led by Taylor Gregory, Hadley Borders, and Bailey Ausbrooks. The trio has combined for nearly 150 hits and 100 RBI. They are all three batting at least .484, led by Gregory’s .534 average. In doubles, Borders had 17, while Ausbrooks leads the team with six home runs. Gregory has been the team’s top pitcher as well, going 109.2 innings through the first 25 games with a 13-6 record and a 3.00 ERA. The Lady Patriots have already posted two five-game win streaks on the year. If they can get their bats going in the postseason, they can ride them as far as any team.
Russellville
Russellville has only made one region tournament appearance since 2006; however, the Lady Panthers have looked impressive in 2021, racking up 20 wins in their first 30 games. After starting the season 7-1 and 12-2, coach Ryan Davenport’s club began to turn some heads. Amiyah Collier leads the team at the plate and on the mound. The sophomore leads Russellville in hits, runs, RBI, triples, and home runs. She is also batting .371. On the mound she had pitched 111 innings through her first 24 games, striking out 117 with an ERA of 2.77. RHS has played well against some of the region’s elite but has struggled against district competition. Their chance at a deep run in the 4th Region Tournament will come down to a district semifinal game with Franklin-Simpson who has already beaten them twice this season.
Dark Horses
Logan County
Logan County’s record may be around .500, but the Lady Cougars definitely have enough pop to make a run at region. Coach Mark Wood’s club has played a tough schedule and has picked up wins over Greenwood and Russellville (twice). Logan County is first in the region with 24 home runs, one above Barren County’s 23. Emerson McKinnis leads the team with eight bombs, while Grace Mefford has knocked out six. Kaylin Page leads the team in runs, hits, doubles, and a batting average of .500 at the time of publication. In 2019, the Lady Cougars dispatched of Metcalfe County before nearly toppling South Warren in the semifinals. They will look to go deep again in 2021.
Metcalfe County
As the favorite to win the 16th District, Metcalfe County is also a dark horse to win the 4th Region championship. The Lady Hornets were one of three teams to go undefeated in district play this season along with South Warren and Logan County. Braelyn Davis has continued her hot streak at the plate, batting .500 with 38 hits and 13 doubles in the regular season. Bailee Garrett batted .400 with 32 RBI, while pitching over 110 innings and going 11-5 with a .406 ERA. The Lady Hornets last reached the region semifinals in 2011.
Russell County
Russell County started the season 8-1 behind the timely hitting of Sophie Shearer and Emma Popplewell among others. Shearer is batting .500 while leading the team in hits (33) and RBI (29). Popplewell is nearly batting .400 and has knocked in 25 runs and scored 20 of her own. The Lady Lakers will look to recreate the magic of 2015 when they reached the region semifinals.
Bowling Green
Bowling Green started the season 1-11 and seemed destined for a losing season; but then something changed. The Lady Purples caught fire, winning ten of their next eleven games, including wins over Warren East, Apollo, and Logan County. Kendle White leads the team in runs, hits, RBI, doubles, and triples. Tanaya Bailey leads the team in batting average at .476. It would seemingly take a herculean effort over South Warren to reach the region tournament, but if they did, anything’s possible. The Lady Purples are looking for their first region appearance since 2013 (when they reached the championship game).
Franklin-Simpson
Franklin-Simpson lost five of its first seven games but steadied the ship with wins over Calloway County, Great Crossing, Bowling Green, and Russellville (twice). Kaeleigh Tuck has been the leader of the offense, batting .427 with 44 hits, 30 RBI, and 14 doubles at the time of publication. Allie Utley has stolen 22 bases on the year, while Sherrekia Kitchens has 26 runs, 27 RBI, and four home runs. The Lady Wildcats’ season will come down to a district semifinal showdown with Russellville, where Franklin will look to make its eleventh-straight region tournament appearance.
