Much like the baseball team, the Taylor County softball team was also on a great postseason run and after a wild seventh inning in the Regional Championship game and three of their five runs scored yesterday in the first KHSAA State Softball playoff game by virtue of fielding errors, you had to wonder if the David Bradstreet’s girls still had some luck in that magic rabbits foot the team seemed to have with them.
Against a Lawrence County team which was much like the Cardinals as they just got by a Marshall County team by a run in their first state game, you’d think it would be a low scoring game with both teams waiting for the other to blink to take advantage.
And that it was as both Maddie Hunt and Taylor Blevins had control of the situation as both pitchers relied to good defense to keep the game scoreless all the way into the bottom of the sixth, when Reagan Cundiff had a one-out single Hannah Gupton doubled moving Cundiff to third with just one out. However, for a while it looked like Blevins would get out with no harm done after a strikeout, but Nevaeh Kays singled to sending both base runners’ home and giving Taylor County the first lead of the game at 2-0.
It looked like the Taylor County season would continue and their dream journey might allow them to play into the final weekend. Hunt and again done a great job confusing the Bulldogs despite allowing seven hits and nine base runners, but none crossed the plate. That’s when things got interesting in the top of the seventh.
With the Bulldogs just three outs away from elimination, two seniors decided they weren’t quite ready for it to end just yet as both Abby Maynard and Bree Jones hit back-to-back singles to start the comeback, then up stepped freshman Jada Patton who was 0-2 to this point. With everything on the line, the same girl, who scored three runs in their state win over Marshall County, swung on a Hunt pitch and pulled it over the leftfield wall for a three-run home run that put the Bulldogs up 3-2.
Still, the Cardinals season wasn’t quite over yet. Blevins, who threw 97-pitches walked the leadoff batter Lylah Curry and then Claire Melton sacrificed her to second with one out. Much like the Region Final, it appeared Taylor County just might find a way, but Riley Sprowles flied out and then Bradstreet, the next batter became the final batter as Lawrence County prevailed, 3-2.
For Taylor County, a great season came to an end, but Bradstreet and the Cardinals had nothing to be ashamed of as they accomplished more than many thought they would. Still, they will lose Sprowles and Edwards and several contributors and next year no one who overlook them.
Much like Layken Lyons remark that the entire trip was like a dream, it was a great feeling to know that both Taylor County teams (baseball and softball) were able to qualify and create experiences they’ll always remember.