Trinity’s Dianna Munoz catches the out at first base against New Washington on Friday night in the sectional championship at Henryville.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Trinity’s Bailey Tabeling bunts to get on base against New Washington on Friday night in the sectional championship at Henryville.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Right: Trinity’s Bailey Tabeling throws the final out of the game to win the sectional championship against New Washington on Friday night at Henryville.
Far right: Trinity’s Dianna Munoz catches the out at first base against New Washington on Friday night in the sectional championship at Henryville.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Trinity’s Kamzi Gross (20) holds up the sectional trophy with her Cougar teammates on Friday night at Henryville.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
From the top: The Trinity Lutheran softball team poses with the sectional trophy on Friday night at Henryville after defeating New Washington 11-1. It’s the Cougars first sectional title since 2018. // Trinity’s Kamzi Gross (20) holds up the sectional trophy with her Cougar teammates on Friday night at Henryville.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Photos by Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
Above: Trinity’s Kamzi Gross throws a pitch against New Washington on Friday night in the sectional championship at Henryville. Gross had 8 K’s as Trinity won 11-1.
Right: Trinity’s Bailey Tabeling bunts to get on base against New Washington on Friday night in the sectional championship at Henryville.
Jeff Lubker | For The Tribune
HENRYVILLE — This group of Trinity softball seniors had never won a sectional championship, and that changed on Friday night.
The quartet of Taylar Hobbs, Kamzi Gross, Hannah Kerkhof and Ally Russell helped the Cougars to an 11-1 victory over New Washington to win Trinity’s first sectional title since 2018.
“We talked about it,” head coach Bob Tabeling said. “This group has been really solid for us and played numerous positions in their four years. We really wanted this group of girls to feel that victory.”
The game couldn’t have started any better for Trinity. Gross came out and struck out the side in the first inning, then Trinity scored three runs in the bottom of the first.
Bailey Tabeling led off by getting to second base after she singled and there was a wild throw to first. Shortly after that, the Cougars loaded the bases and capitalized off some errors from New Washington’s defense.
“Kamzi has been really locked in, especially being a senior,” coach Tabeling said. “She struck out the side in the first inning, and we tried to do what we’ve been doing, and that’s put the ball in play and let our speed do things.”
Trinity’s speed was an issue all game for New Washington to handle.
In the third inning, Gross doubled and then advanced to third on a wild throw, and Madison Keith singled to drive in Gross. Then Morgan Brewer and Dianna Munoz each had a RBI in that inning to make it 6-0.
In the fourth inning, Gross doubled for a second time to score Tabeling, and then Munoz hit a two-run single. By the end of the inning, the Cougars’ lead ballooned up to 11-0.
Gross said she switched bats recently, hitting with a lighter one that she believes has helped her swing.
“My hitting has been more on key now,” Gross said.
Gross pitched the first four innings for Trinity, allowing no hits, giving up one walk and striking out eight batters.
“I have to have a lot of focus and make sure I have good spins on my pitches to get strikeouts,” Gross said.
Grace Lance came in to pitch the fifth inning, and New Washington got one run back, but Lance got three outs to end the game in the fifth inning since Trinity was up 10 runs.
The Cougars beat Henryville earlier in the week on Tuesday to advance to this game, and Trinity was happy to avenge their close sectional loss to the Hornets last season.
“It’s amazing because last year losing to Henryville, to get that win Tuesday and then win the championship today was amazing,” Gross said. “We felt pretty confident. We knew we could get the win if we came out and played our hardest.”
Tabeling, Ally Russell and Gross each had two hits while Brewer, Olivia Cain, Munoz, Keith and Hannah Kerkhof each had one hit. Munoz led the team with three RBI, and Lance, Kerkhof, Keith, Gross and Brewer each had one RBI.
Trinity now gets to host the regional championship game on Tuesday. The Cougars will play either West Washington or Lanesville, who meet one another at 12 p.m. today.
Tuesday’s game will start at 6 p.m.
“It’s gonna be great being on our home turf,” Gross said.