Depending on which dugout you supported, the Jackson County rivalry softball game at Seymour High School was filled with either elation or frustration Monday.

Brownstown Central stunned SHS, handing the Owls its first loss of 2019 by posting a 4-1 road victory.

The Braves (4-5), which outhit the Owls (8-1) 11-4 in the game, built a 3-0 lead in the first inning, and added another run in the second, before holding on for the win.

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery

Braves coach Monte Ault said he was proud of the intensity his team brought to the game.

“I thought the girls came ready to play,” he said. “People said, ‘well, you’re going to get beat tonight.’ The girls had confidence and came ready to play. I told them it’s all about attitude and energy. Hopefully they gain some more confidence and this carries over. I’m really proud of the way the girls played. They knew Seymour hadn’t been beaten.”

Owls coach Jerry Burton didn’t hold back with his disappointment.

“We weren’t there. We didn’t show up tonight,” Burton said. “I don’t know where we were at, but we weren’t at the softball diamond. Our heads were someplace else.”

In the first inning, Braves leadoff hitter Erin Singleton, a freshman, got on base with a double to get the Braves’ offense flowing. After a sacrifice bunt by junior Zoe Fountain moved Singleton to second base, junior Addy Krieger singled to center field to put the Braves up 1-0. With the next at bat, junior Chloe Carlin slammed a home run over the center field fence to extend the Braves’ lead.

Up 3-0, in the second inning, freshman pitcher Maddison Brittain homered to left field to make it 4-0.

The Owls were held scoreless until the fourth inning. Leading off, junior Carlee Robinson busted the first pitch over the wall at center field to cut the deficit to 4-1.

Senior Rachel Kaufman singled and sophomore Grace Meyer was walked to get two runners on for the Owls in the fifth inning, but the team couldn’t take advantage.

The Owls went down in order in both the sixth and seventh innings at the plate.

Brittain went the distance in the circle, recording three strikeouts, four hits, two walks and one earned run.

“Maddison is starting to hit her spots better,” Ault said. “Her changeup is working pretty good. I thought she kept their big hitters off a little bit.”

Owls sophomore Stephanni Kleber was the losing pitcher. She finished with six strikeouts, two walks, 11 hits and four earned runs.

Singleton, Krieger and Carlin each had two hits to lead the Braves. No player from SHS recorded more than one.

The Braves left 10 on base and the Owls left six. Both teams had one error.

Seymour travels to New Albany tonight for a Hoosier Hills Conference game while Brownstown Central hosts Scottsburg for a Mid-Southern Conference contest Thursday.

Burton said he needs to see more from his team against the Bulldogs.

“I need them to wake up and show up to play,” he said. “The performance out there, we ought to give everyone their money back after what they saw out there.”