It was right there in their grasp. The North Hardin Trojans, who had made their first KHSAA State Softball appearance for the first time since 2009 had just knocked off a tough Apollo team in the Sweet Sixteen and had moved on to the Elite Eight and were just three outs away from advancing to Final Four next Friday afternoon against a gritty Highlands team.
Everything was in place for another surprising victory by a young team, which had just went from Worst to First in the 5th Region in just three short seasons.
Then it happened.
Much like the Taylor County Cardinals, the 5th Representative the previous season, who were also in place to do the same thing in the Elite Eight, everything came apart.
Ahead 2-1, the Bluebirds got a leadoff hit by Kate Class and then a bunt by Allison Meyers, the next batter got one out, but a relay throw to third went array and allowed the tying run to score. Although pitcher Brooklyn Carmickle managed to get out of the inning with no further damage, the Trojans had missed a golden opportunity to finish the deal and would live to pay for it.
With Kaitlyn Dixon, the Blubird starter, who went the distance retired the Trojans in the top of the eighth, Highlands, who had given a new life took quick advantage in the bottom of the inning as Payton Brown singled to leadoff, Cam Markus hit a sharp flyball that rolled all the way to the wall scoring Brown for the walkoff win.
The 3-2 extra inning win by Highlands was truly a comedy of errors for both teams as both scored runs off sloppy play. North Hardin, which was held in check much of the game by Dixon, go on the scroeboard first in the top of the fourth when Kaylee Johnston walked and moved to second on TK Davis’ single in front of the rightfielder and both advanced to third and second on the throw. After Carly Everhart popped up, Carmickle beat out a throw to first, which went wildly past the first baseman allowing both Johnston and Davis to score and give NH a 2-0 lead.
The Bluebirds responded in the bottom of the inning, when M Pompilio bunted and reached first on an error with one out, then advanced to second on a passed ball. After a flyball out, K Dixon singled scoring Pompilio to cut the lead to 2-1.
The score stood until the bottom of the seventh as both pitchers kept the other team’s hitters in check. Dixon, who had allowed South Laurel just one hit allowed just two hits against the Trojans and had five strikeouts, while Carmickle allowed seevn hits and had eight K’s in the loss.
So, Highlands, which got their 35th win will move on with a chance to reach the Championship game, if they get past South Warren. Meanwhile, North Hardin, will be left to ponder what might have been. Much like Taylor County, last season missed a golden opportunity, but should look back with their two game stay in Lexington with lots of pride.
Coach Rocco Adessa and coaches understand that winning close games is also a learning process and this team has taken a huge leap in such a short time. North Hardin will lose two starters, but will return the core of the team along with the state’s leading strikeout Queen (Carmickle) for two more seasons.
Coach Adessa once told me that the team has had to learn a lot of these things on the fly because they have advanced so quickly. “We’ll live with the mistakes and move on.”
For a bunch of girls, who weren’t even alive when this program last made it this far, they sure learn fast.