The Milan Lady Wildcats won a pair of one-run games on Saturday, advancing to the championship game of the Schuyler County Softball Tournament. Knox County went on to win the tournament, downing the Lady ‘Cats in the final, 8-2.
Milan opened the day with a 3-2 win over Schuyler County, winning with what Head Coach Nate Dodson called “small ball and aggressiveness on the bases”. Breanna Sawyer and Katlynn Sylvester each had base hits and scored runs for Milan.
In the semifinals, Milan handed Marceline a 4-3 loss, with Bre Sawyer getting two base hits and adding two runs. Kenna Michael drove in three runs for Milan, with Courtney McCollum driving in Milan’s fourth run with a fielder’s choice.
In the final, Milan had opportunities against Knox County, but stranded eight runners while recording seven base hits. Maddie Schoonover was 2 for 3, Samantha DeRyke 1 for 3 with 2 RBI’s, while Katie Banner, Erin Sayre, Sylvester, and Sawyer added base hits. Coach Dodson, speaking about the title game loss, stated, “Knox County simply strung hits together and we did not. Getting down early made our ‘small ball’ efforts less effective than earlier in the day”.
Marceline finished third in the Schuyler County Tournament, beating Novinger in a lopsided opener, 12-3, and shutting out Northeast of Cairo 8-0 in the third place game (following the 4-3 loss to Milan in the semifinals).
Norborne dominated its competition on Saturday to win the Norborne Softball Tournament. The Lady Pirates downed Hardin-Central 10-0, Meadville 16-0, Stewartsville 15-0, and Polo 8-2. Polo, in advancing to the championship game, picked up wins over Marshall (2-0), Northwestern (12-1), and Slater (5-3).
Meadville finished 0-3 at Norborne on Saturday, with the Lady Eagles falling to Stewartsville (5-1), Norborne (14-0), and Hardin-Central (8-6).
The Chillicothe Lady Hornets won the Lexington Softball Tournament on Saturday, opening play with a 10-0 stomping of Odessa. Molly Jones pitched a three-hit shutout for Chillicothe. In the semifinals, the Lady Hornets pounded Notre Dame de Sion, 14-4. In a thrilling final, Chillicothe edged the host Lexington Minutewomen, 2-1. Jylian Davis picked up the title game win for CHS, scattering eight hits. Lexington, despite the second-place finish, rebounded on Monday night with a 4-0 shutout of the visiting Penney Lady Hornets.
Lathrop remained unbeaten on the softball season, as the defending Class 2 state champions stampeded to the Mid-Buchanan Tournament title in St. Joseph, winning against King City (8-2), Higginsville (9-0), Plattsburg (10-2), and North Platte (9-2).
Lawson won the Excelsior Springs Softball Tournament on Saturday, beating North Kansas City (9-5), Grandview (6-4), and Excelsior Springs (6-2).
On Monday night, Schuyler County got a measure of revenge on Milan for Saturday’s quarterfinal loss, beating the visiting Lady ‘Cats 7-3. Shelby May was 2 for 3 for Milan with 2 RBI’s, while Maddie Schoonover was 1 for 3. Jasmine Kelsall had a homer and two RBI’s, while Teagan Wilson drove in 3 runs, for the Lady Rams.
Also on Monday night, Putnam County routed Trenton’s Tuesday night opponent, the Brookfield Lady ‘Dogs, 11-1. Jordan Hollon, Kennedy Childers, and Stephanie Stout combined for eight hits for the Lady Midgets. Sammi Bradshaw picked up the win for the GRC East runner-up.
