Lady Raiders head to
sectional finals!
PHOTO BY LINDSEY BROWN
South Ripley softball is all smiles prior to its 6-0 win over Milan in the Class 2A Sectional 45 semifinals. The Lady Raiders face host Switzerland County in the championship game.
South Ripley is looking to repeat as sectional champions for the first time in school history and is one step closer to that goal after the Lady Raiders ousted Milan 6-0 in the Class 2A Sectional 45 semifinals on Tuesday night at Switzerland County.
The victory for Ripley completes a three-game season sweep of the Lady Indains who finish the year with a 2-17 overall record.
Despite just five hits on the evening it was a win for the green and white. South Ripley put up a run in the bottom of the second inning before adding two runs in the bottom of the fourth and three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Milan was held to only three hits in the contest.
Julia Hilton and Cassie Franklin both doubled and drove in a run with Hilton scoring two runs. Alexa Heidt was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and Ellie Waldron was 1-for-2 with a run. Morgan Meyer drove in a run on a hit and scored twice.
Abby Moore, Chloe Hunter and Kenzie Seale each had a base knock for Milan.
Mady Tompkins hit the circle for the Lady Raiders and got the win, going five innings and giving up no runs on a hit with eight strikeouts. Waldron finished the final two innings and struck out two over two innings, allowing two hits. Eleanor Honnert was tagged with the loss for Milan, allowing six earned runs with nine walks and nine strikeouts.
South Ripley’s sectional journey started out on Monday night with a convincing 14-2 win over Austin in six innings.
The Lady Raiders broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the fourth inning with a six-run surge before adding on four runs in the top of the fifth. The 10-run mercy rule was put into effect in the sixth inning after Waldron blasted a three-run shot and the green and white held the Lady Eagles in-check in the bottom of the frame.
Waldron drove in three runs, scored twice and was 2-for-5 at the plate. Heidt hit a double and was 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Hilton went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run. Emily Campbell and Tompkins both had a hit and RBI while Franklin hit a single with three runs and Morgan Meyer collected a base hit.
Tompkins pitched the first five innings and got the win, allowing two runs -one earned- on two hits with 11 strikeouts, one of which included her 500th career strikeout. She walked just one batter in the game.
South Ripley (16-3) meets Switzerland County tonight in the sectional championship game which serves as a rematch of last year’s title tilt. The Lady Raiders, the defending champions, have defeated the Lady Pacers twice this season in Ohio River Valley Conference action. Switzerland County beat North Decatur 4-3 in eight innings on Tuesday to advance to the championship.
