As heard on WRBI, The 3A-29 softball sectional champion for 2022 is Franklin County. The Lady Wildcats did something Saturday no EIAC team was able to do in the regular season, and that was beat a very good Connersville club.
The fifth-ranked Spartans were 14-0 against conference opponents this season which included two victories over the 11th-ranked Wildcats by counts of 10-0 and 8-7. During the third meeting Saturday, the Cats scored just one run off CHS pitcher Shelby Wolski, but that run held up as the Brookville ladies captured the sectional trophy after a 1-0 final.
The only run of the game came in the third. Bree Bischoff singled to left, advanced to second and third on base hits by Brooke Stang and Maci Lake, then scored ahead of the throw to the plate on an infield RBI fielder’s choice by Kensee Ferman.
KK Ferman pitched a shutout with 10 strikeouts against four walks and five hits. Sara Ruble and McKenna Lucas had two hits each for the Spartans. Ruble’s pair included a two bagger and she also swiped three bases.
Franklin County will travel Tuesday to play the Panthers of Corydon Central at 6 pm for a 3A Regional Championship.
We thank Franklin County AD Denny Dorrel for the accommodations and hospitality during our time in Brookville on Tuesday and Saturday.
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Franklin County and Connersville both played semifinal games earlier in the day. The Wildcats defeated Rushville 9-1 and the Spartans topped South Dearborn 6-1.
For Franklin County, Ferman had a perfect game through six innings. The perfect game, no hitter and shut were spoiled on back-to-back, seven inning doubles by Karah Chandler and Grace Muir. Ferman fanned eight and walked none in the win.
Offensively for the Wildcats, Brooke Stang and Kassidy Schell both had two hits. Josie Rolfes belted a 3-RBI double and Kensee Ferman collected two ribbies.
The Spartans McKenna Lucas singled doubled and homered with two RBI. Rayleigh Bresher also drove in two on a single and a double. Sara Ruble hit a solo home run. Kindred Conley got the win for CHS with six strikeouts against no walks.
Unofficially, Lucas never was retired once as a hitter in three games. She was 7-7 with a double, a triple, a home run and three RBI.
Of the Knights six hits, Emma Seaver had the only extra base hit with a double. Mikayla Rudisell drove in Seaver on a fourth-inning single.
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In a high-proflie 1A softball sectional final at Rising Sun, No. 2 Hauser defeated the third-ranked Shiners 4-3.
Rising Sun was down three runs heading into the seventh. The Shiners scored twice, but came up a run short.
For the Jets, Raegan Johnson doubled twice. Lucie Asher and Haylin Campbell had two hits and an RBI each.
Emma Russell had two hits and two ribbies for the Shiners. Teammate Cora Poling had three hits with a double.
Hauser hosts Indianapolis Luthern on Tuesday for a 1A Regional Championship.