CAMPBELLSBURG
The Trinity Lutheran softball team reached new heights Tuesday afternoon.
The Cougars scored single runs in the first two innings and then added three runs in the sixth for a 5-1 win over Orleans in the Class A West Washington Sectional.
It is the school’s first sectional title in softball, and the Cougars now turn their sights on a regional that they will host next Tuesday. Trinity (12-7) will battle the winner of Sectional 62.
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While Cougars coach Chad Goecker was all smiles when talking about the effort, he said the win did not come easy.
“It was a really hard-fought game,” he said. “I’m very proud of the girls and the way they played. We started off slow. It took us a little while to adjust to the pitcher. The girls executed well. That’s what really worked for us.”
With two out and nobody on base in the bottom of the first, Jodi Goecker drew a walk and scored on Taylor Reynolds’ double.
Hannah Deaton led off the second inning with another double and scored on an infield out by Sydney Stahl.
“Those runs took some of the nerves off, but they were pretty nervous the whole game,” coach Goecker said. “It was hard to get them to relax, but they came through and did a great job.”
Trinity sophomore Morgan Gabbard pitched the first five innings and kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard, although she had to work her way out of trouble to accomplish that.
Orleans had runners on base in the first three innings and in the fifth. Gabbard allowed four hits over the five innings, but she retired the leadoff batter in three of the innings and did not allow a runner to get past second base in the other two innings.
Taylor Russell walked with one down in the sixth inning. Goecker followed with a fly ball to center field that was dropped. After the runners advanced one base on a wild pitch, Reynolds executed a squeeze bunt with Russell scoring, and Goecker crossed the plate on an error by the catcher.
Reynolds came around on a single by Deaton.
The Cougars committed a fielding error and a throwing error in the top of the seventh. One of those runners that reached base safely was cut down at the plate on a throw from first baseman Amanda Wright. Sydnee Moon came up with her second single of the game and later scored on an infield out for the Bulldogs’ sole run.
“There’s a lot of nerves out there,” coach Goecker said. “(Sectional championships) never come easy. This was a good win for us. The girls played extremely well. Defensively, we played very well tonight, which is something we’ve struggled with. We were able to shut them down through most of the game.”
Deaton was the only Cougar to get two hits, and she scored a run and had an RBI. Reynolds had one hit, scored a run and had two RBIs, and Goecker was on base with a walk, reached on an error and scored two runs.
“Timely hits are always good,” coach Goecker said. “That (squeeze) is part of the execution this year that we didn’t have last year. They can execute the play this year. Orleans did a great job defensively, and we weren’t able to put the bat on the ball when we should have to really break through.
“I’m really proud of the way the girls hung tough. We’ve been in this situation the past four years. Sectional championships are tough, and the girls fought hard to get it, and they deserved it.”
Borden will play Lanesville on Thursday for the Sectional 62 championship at Borden.