The matchup was superb and the storylines many for Monday night’s softball showdown between rivals Penney and Trenton on Monday night, as the teams, 11 months removed from a Hornet victory over #1 seeded Trenton in last October’s district championship game at THS, met again at Griffin Field, this one with some mid-season momentum and seeding for next month’s district tournament (at Hamilton) up for grabs.
In a game reminiscent of last year’s classic, Penney jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning, added to the lead late, and held off a furious Trenton rally over the final three innings of the contest to claim a 4-3 win, heard on Hot Country Z 101.7.
There were noticeable differences in the way the coaching staff on each side handled the regular season game, particularly with the knowledge that another rematch in districts in Hamilton is very possible in the month of October. Hamilton Coach Jim Dickey went with sophomore left-hander Julia Kanoy, the same young lady that beat Trenton in last year’s district final. Kanoy got the victory last night, holding Trenton to three runs on eight hits over a complete game, adding key strikeouts to end a bases-loaded threat in the Trenton 5th, and one with the tying run on base, and the winning run at the plate, in the bottom of the 7th. Kanoy had nine strikeouts from the pitching circle for the Lady Hornets.
Unlike both of last year’s games against Penney (a regular season road win and the postseason loss), Trenton Coach John Cowling did not go with the Bulldogs senior ace, Ainsley Tolson, saving the right-hander for Grand River Conference games later in the week with South Harrison (Tuesday) and Polo (Thursday). Junior right-hander McKayla Blackburn got the ball for the Lady Bulldogs and surrended seven hits in seven innings, giving up four runs and striking out two batters.
Penney opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning, as Graycen Prothero led off with a single, and was sent to second on a bunt single by Atison Allsup. Following two straight outs, Kanoy singled to load the bases, with a Lexi Potts bases-loaded walk scoring Prothero, and Allsup scoring on an RBI single by Jaide Herrera. Â
Trenton, in the bottom of the 1st, cut the lead in half, as senior catcher Salem Croy drove in Ainsley Tolson with a two-out single.
Both starting pitchers settled down in the middle innings, combining for three straight scoreless frames before Penney added an insurance run in the 5th inning, as Morgan Hartley led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a ground-ball to third baseman Mykah Hurley, who threw out Allsup, but the return throw home by Sidney Lynch proved to be late to tag out the sliding Hartley.
Trenton threatened in the bottom of the 5th, loading the bases with one out, but a ground ball to third resulted in a force at home, with a called strike three ending the rally. Penney made the score 4-1 in the visitors sixth, as Kanoy singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Potts, and scored on a single into right-center field off the bat of Herrera.
The Lady Bulldogs most significant rally came in the bottom of the sixth inning, with three singles and two base-on-balls in the inning.  However, two base running gaffes, one resulting in an out in a rundown between third and home, cost Trenton dearly, as THS only managed an RBI single by Chandler Lynch that scored Taylor Richman. A line-out to deep center field left the bases loaded, with the score at 4-2.
Blackburn retired the Hornets in order in the 7th inning, and Trenton cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the frame, as a Sidney Lynch sizzler to center scored courtesy runner Gracyn Rongey. A called strike three, with the tying run held by Teya Cooksey at first base, saddled Trenton with the program’s first loss of the year.
Penney, buoyed with confidence after a statement early-season road win, travels to Plattsburg to begin KCI Conference play on Thursday night, with Trenton playing at South Harrison tonight (Tuesday night) at 5:30. The Lady Bulldogs season record is now 7-1.
Other softball scores from Monday, September 10, 2018 were:
Putnam County 7, Gallatin 0 (Sammi Bradshaw of PC – three-hit shutout)
Maryville 12, Worth County 0
Lawson 8, Higginsville 2
Princeton 23, Mercer 0
Lathrop 4, St. Joseph Benton 3Â
Atlanta 20, Northwestern 2
North Nodaway 10, North Harrison 7
Maysville 16, King City 1
St. Joseph Lafayette 4, Mid-Buchanan 3
Plattsburg 20, St. Michael the Archangel 0
Brookfield 11, Milan 1
Bevier 22, Novinger 15
(BASEBALL) Novinger 9, Bevier 8
The Trenton JV lost to Penney 11-3 on Monday night, falling to 0-3 on the season. Teya Cooksey had a triple and scored a run, while Delaney Franklin and Kammi Phillips had RBI’s for Trenton.
Tuesday night will bring a full night of softball action across the GRC East, as Princeton travels to Gallatin. That 5:30 game will be broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7, with Tom Johnson on the play-by-play call. Elsewhere, Trenton is at South Harrison, Maysville at Milan, and Putnam County at Polo. In GRC West play, King City is at Pattonsburg, Stanberry at North Andrew, and Albany at Worth County. In non-conference action, Braymer travels to Lathrop.
The Gallatin Golf Tournament started at 9 o’clock this (Tuesday) morning at the Daviess County Country Club, while Brookfield’s golf team hosts Putnam County and Marceline at 4 o’clock this afternoon.
