Softball

Boyle County Invitational Saturday At Millennium Park Pool A Casey County41011-794 Bell County3206X-1182 Eads and McFarland. Laws and Dixon. W - Laws. L - Eads. Casey County000003-335 Southwestern02202X-682 Buis and McFarland. Kosmecki and Beatty. W - Kosmecki. L - Buis. Lincoln County 11, Casey County 8 No linescore available. Lincoln County 13, Bell County 6 No linescore available. Pool B Rowan County301110-670 Boyle County123004-10131 Halfey and Cooley.

It’s not hard for a team to gauge its popularity today with all the social media venues. “We were actually just joking about that on the bus ride (home from Michigan on Sunday), how you get so many friend requests now (on Facebook) and so many little tweets. It’s funny and it’s a pretty cool thing that people are starting to notice how good softball has become, especially for Kentucky,” outfielder Samantha DeMartine said Monday. Everyone certainly should notice because Kentucky (39-14)

Taylor Estes can’t wait to show off her new jewelry. What makes Estes different from the average girl is that the ring she is about is not just any piece of jewelry, but rather a reward for winning a softball championship that Estes said has been the highlight of her athletics career. The Danville sophomore-to-be was part of a travel team that won a United States FastPitch Association World Series championship last week in Panama City Beach, Fla. Her SportsReach FastPitch team won the 18-and-under “A” division.

Lightning and thunder forced the postponement of play in three high school playoff tournaments Monday. The 44th District softball tournament at Burgin has been pushed back a day. Harrodsburg is scheduled to face Garrard County at 4:15 p.m. today, with Mercer County taking on Burgin in the second game. The 45th District baseball tournament at Boyle County also had its first round games pushed back a day. Boyle is scheduled to host Danville today at 5:30 p.m., with Casey County taking on Lincoln County in the other first round game Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The 46th District baseball tournament at Mercer County had its first round games rescheduled as well.

Tears streamed down Katelyn Daniel's red, sweaty cheeks in the 95-degree heat Monday evening after the Jaguars softball team was eliminated in the first round of Region 12 tournament play. The senior catcher and team captain, who was selected to the All-Region team, steered her young teammates through many ups and downs throughout the season before the end came in their 10-inning, to-the-wire loss to Pulaski County, 3-2. Teammate and fellow senior second baseman Megan Perkins slumped on the ground and stared at the dirt.

Monica Vonderbrink and Julia Hubbard each had two hits Wednesday and CiCi Besl got the win as the Centre College softball team beat Georgetown 5-4 to earn a double-header split. Charlotte Jones doubled for the Colonels (4-2), who took a 5-0 lead into the seventh inning before hanging on to beat Georgetown for the first time during spring softball, according to Centre assistant Chris Mason. It also was the Tigers' first loss of the season. In the first game, a 7-2 Centre loss, Georgetown (5-1)

STANFORD - A trio of Lincoln County softball players have made their college choices. And two of them will continue to play together the next four years. Morgan Brown and Christy Day signed with Union College on Wednesday, while Stephanie Adams signed with Lindsey Wilson College. Brown, a center fielder, chose Union over St. Catharine and Lincoln Trail (Ill.). She said she made her decision about two weeks ago. "I loved the sports program, and the atmosphere of the school was nice.

Despite Mother Nature's protests, spring is here. The East and West Jessamine baseball and softball teams have been trying to get games in, though the weather has done little to help. Jaguars baseball has managed to get in just two games this season. The team traveled all the way to Florida, but even there the weather wouldn't cooperate. East managed to finish just one game, a 1-0 loss to Arnold High School of Panama City. Travis Steward was sharp for East, striking out six and not allowing an earned run. But East didn't muster anything offensively.

Kelly Embree has been enjoying the last days and the last games of her senior year, but she said she'll enjoy the rest of them even more now that her college choice is behind her. The Danville senior put that important piece of business behind her on Wednesday by signing a letter-of-intent to play softball for Campbellsville University. "It's a huge relief," Embree said. "I feel like I can just relax now and finish out the season. " Embree said she reached her decision to attend Campbellsville about a week ago, picking that school over Transylvania and Lindsey Wilson.

Macy Dykema drilled her first home run of the season and the Centre College softball avoided a sweep by beating Thomas More 10-1 in five innings Wednesday in the second game of a doubleheader. Centre dropped the first game 12-6. "That was only the second time in school history we beat Thomas More and the first time we run-ruled them," coach Wendie Austin-Robinson said. Maggie Blackburn and Sharon Ball each went 3-for-3 and Laura Hufnagle and Julia Hubbard each had doubles as Centre (4-4)

They have won one state championship and are favored to win another, but these girls say they still have something to prove. That chip on their shoulder has helped drive the Danville Christian Academy softball team to the best season in school history, and it is driving the Warriors pursuit of a second straight state title. They wrapped up a remarkable regular season Thursday by rallying to defeat North Hardin Christian 9-6 at Millennium Park. That gave them an 8-0 record against Kentucky Christian Athletic Association opponents, and they finished 12-0 against Kentucky schools and 13-1 overall.

Taylor Estes hit a grand slam as Danville defeated Rockcasle County 7-5 in the Admirals' regular-season finale Thursday at Troy Trumbo Field. Estes' two-out homer gave Danville (7-20) a 7-2 lead after Rockcastle (5-25) wiped out its 3-0 first-inning advantage. She also had a single and was one of three Admirals with two hits each. Kasey Young had a triple and a single, and Breanna Turpin had two singles. The Rockets scored three runs in the seventh inning before Danville stopped their rally.

Burgin had one of its best offensive games of the season but lost 26-16 to Frankfort on Wednesday at Burgin. It was the second-highest run total of the season for Burgin (2-16), which scored 22 runs in a May 3 win over Monticello. The Bulldogs led 4-3 after two innings, but Frankfort (6-16) scored four in the third inning and never trailed again. The Panthers scored 18 runs in their last three at-bats. Six players combined for Burgin's six hits. Grace Osbourn scored five runs, Julia Hagen scored four and Kae-Lynn Bradshaw scored three.

BURGIN - It's been quite the turnaround year for the Garrard County softball team. A year ago, the Golden Lions were in the midst of a two-win season with a team full of freshmen and eighth-graders. But after their 18-0 win Tuesday over Burgin, the Lions are one of the hottest teams in the 12th Region, having won five straight nine of their last 10 to sit at 23-12. “They've just got a lot more confidence and they're grown up as ball players. They're doing a million times better than I thought they would, and we're just becoming a better team,” said Garrard's only senior, outfielder Sydney Pozzuto, who drove in two runs Tuesday.

Hannah Miniard struck out seven batters and allowed just one hit in three relief innings Tuesday as No. 13 Boyle County defeated Madison Southern 3-2 on senior night at Rebel Stadium. Chelsea Gill went 2 for 4 with two stolen bases and scored twice for Boyle (24-8), which edged Southern (18-9) to close the regular season with five straight wins. Hannah Chadwell was 1 for 3 with a sacrifice bunt, Lauren Richards drove in two runs and had a suicide squeeze bunt, and Miniard, Danielle Mason, Amy Woolum, Cullen Byrne and Madison DeBord all singled for the Rebels.

Burgin scored four runs in the third inning but couldn't keep pace with Lexington Christian in a 21-5 loss Monday at Burgin. LCA (11-12) led 5-1 after two innings and 8-1 before Burgin (2-14) had its big inning, and the Eagles put the game away with a 13-run fifth inning. Kae-Lynn Bradshaw went 3 for 3 for Burgin, and Grace Osbourn, Julia Hagen and Elizabeth Adams had two hits each. Monday's Area High School Linescore Lexington Christian    050    0(13)    -     21    13    0 Burgin                         104          00    -       5    10    6 W - James.

Hannah Miniard tossed a perfect game Friday, striking out eight of the 15 batters she faced as Boyle County beat Franklin County 9-0 in five innings at in the Custom Air Classic at Rebels Stadium. Lauren Richards went 3-for-3 with a double, drove in a run and scored twice, and Madison DeBord had a two-run home run, the first of her career. Also for Boyle, Danielle Mason was 2-for-4 wit a triple, drove in three runs and scored twice, Amy Woolum was 2-ffor-4 with an RBI, Chelsea Gill went 2-for-4 with two runs, Sammi Key was 2-for-3 with an RBI, Miniard had an RBI and Hannah Chadwell scored twice.

The George Rogers Clark softball team dropped a 7-4 setback to Montgomery County Thursday night in Mount Sterling. Clark led 2-1 going into the third inning, but the Lady Indians went ahead for good with a three-run outburst in the third inning. Clark will be the No. 3 seed in the district and will take on the Lady Indians to open the postseason on May 20 at Bourbon County High School. The two teams split the two games, with Clark winning 4-1 on April 25 at Cardinal Heights. Clark collected seven hits, led by Sydney Anderson with a single and a double.

Amber Wesley tossed a perfect game Thursday, striking out four and walking none as Casey County beat Burgin 12-0 in five innings. Allson Clark was 4-for-4 with a run, Abby Cravens was 3-for-4 and scored three times and Kyra Eads was 2-for-4 with two runs for the Rebels. Wesley also doubled. Casey led 4-0 before scoring eight times in the top of the fifth inning. Casey County    300    18    -     12    15    0 Burgin               000    00    -     0    0    4 W - Wesley.

My mother wasn't the athletic type. As far as I know, she never played sports at Madison Central High School or Kirksville Elementary. Just because she never participated in sports doesn't mean she doesn't like softball or basketball. She does. Although mom didn't pass down any athletic traits to her two children, she did hand down other important values that are essential to success on and off the field. While growing up, mom taught my sister and me the value of honesty, integrity and never giving up. She also provided a valuable support system that remains in place even to this day and shows her love every day. It was Mom who made sure the uniforms were always clean and washed.