Grand River Conference divisional champions collided on the softball diamond in Stanberry on Thursday night, where the unbeaten Trenton Lady Bulldogs challenged the once-beaten Stanberry Lady Bulldogs, with the first softball championship in the new, 16-school GRC up for grabs.
While the 3-0 final score may not indicate it, Trenton was the dominant team on the field, using strong defense, clutch pitching from Ainsley Tolson, and just enough offense on a frustrating night when THS stranded 14 runners, to get the program’s 18th victory of the season without a defeat.
Trenton’s bats were alive from the first batter, pounding out 16 hits. THS got singles from Jaylen Neff, Whitley Richman and Taylor Richman in the top of the first when courtesy runner Lexi Whitaker was thrown out at the plate trying to score. Trenton loaded the bases with no outs in the second on singles by Mason Hooyman, Jayden Roeder and Mykah Hurley but failed to score again, as a line drive double play and deflected ground ball squashed the threat.
The visitors finally broke through in the top of the 3rd. Croy and Richman started the inning with singles. Whitaker scored on Taylor Richman’s RBI single and Whitley Richman scored on a fielder’s choice by Mason Hooyman to make the score 2-0. Trenton’s offense cooled off until the 7th inning when the Bulldogs pushed across McKayla Blackburn, running for Jayden Roeder, when Jaylen Neff reached on an error to make the score 3-0.
The combination of starter Ainsley Tolson and the Bulldog defense shut down the Stanberry offense. Tolson, in a seven inning shutout, allowed only three hits and no walks while striking out 6 to run her record to 15-0. The Bulldog defense made every play hit at them on the night.
Senior first baseman Whitley Richman led the offense, going 4-4 on the night. Roeder finished 3-4 and Taylor Richman and Mykah Hurley had 2 hits each. Neff, Tolson, Croy, Hooyman and Tenna Roberts each had one hit.
Championship winning coach John Cowling exclaimed, “This championship was something we talked about really wanting before the season started. I think as the season started, the division title and the overall first conference title became an important thing to these girls and they were great in all 8 conference games.”
Trenton will play in the Centralia Tournament on Saturday, before returning home for a Monday night (5 PM) contest with Marceline, scheduled for broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7.
