Gallatin downs Polo to claim District 7 title, home date with Platte Valley on Saturday

The steady rebuilding of the Gallatin High School softball program over the past several reached another crescendo of success on Tuesday night, with the Lady Bulldogs riding the strong pitching performance (three hits allowed in 7 innings) of AnnaBelle Ball and timely hitting from a potent offense to win the Class 1, District 7 championship over Polo 6-3, in action from Maysville broadcast on KGOZ FM 101.7.  The win sends Gallatin back home for a Saturday afternoon (12:30 PM) date with Platte Valley for a spot in next weekend’s Show-Me Showdown in Springfield.

Gallatin, facing one of the elite pitchers in the state in Polo’s Hanna Vaught, opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd inning, as Ball and Channing McBroom hit back-to-back doubles to give the Bulldogs the lead.  McBroom moved to third on a base hit by Betty Rogers, and scored as the outfield throw into third base was high and flew into the Polo dugout.  That error moved Rogers to third base, with her courtesy runner (Holcomb) scoring on a hit into right field.

Gallatin added another run in the third inning, with Ball on first base and two outs, a deep fly ball into the left-center gap by McBroom was dropped.

Polo’s first hit was a loud one, as Vaught took Ball deep over the center field fence to lead off the fourth, cutting Gallatin’s lead to 4-1.  The Lady Bulldogs, with runners on second and third in the 7th, added two critical insurance runs, as a wild pitch scored Brynn Bird.  Alex Endicott scored as a potential throw to home got away.  

Polo, the defending Class 1 runner-up, had fight in the bottom of the 7th inning, with a two-run single by Malia Bell scoring Kendyl Fitzwater and Libby Norton to cut the lead to 6-3.  With the potential tying run in the on-deck circle, Gallatin got a double-play lineout to end the game.  Tom Johnson had the call on KGOZ: 

Platte Valley won the District 8 championship, as a 10-run fourth inning was the decisive frame in a 12-2 win at Stanberry.  Braymer won District 6, sending the Bobcats on the road to LaPlata on Saturday to play the champions of District 5.