‘Try to leave a legacy.’ Madison Central claims state softball first round win
With two outs on the board in the top of the seventh, Jenna Scarberry ran across home plate with a smile. It marked Madison Central’s final run scored in its 7-1 victory over Lawrence County Thursday evening in the first round of the Softball State Tournament presented by UK HealthCare at John Cropp Stadium.
The Indians, who bookended the matchup with four runs scored in the first three innings and three runs in the seventh inning, made the most of their first state appearance in 24 years — a feat head coach Randy Hall said the team won’t be able to grasp for quite some time.
“I really don’t know,” Hall said. “I don’t know that it’s really sunk in. I mean, you know, it’s great to see the community get behind us, and I love it for the girls, but I’m somewhat speechless on that. I really don’t know what for sure that really means in the whole realm of things, but I always tell the girls, you know, try to leave a legacy. Pretty sure they’ve done that.”
Madison Central (27-8) entered Thursday’s matchup with Lawrence County (23-13) having won 12 of its previous 13 games, only dropping its May 15 battle with reigning state champion Assumption. The Indians finished the regular season ranked No. 13 in the Kentucky Prep Softball Coaches Poll.
It was of paramount importance, said junior ace Kate Drury, that the team got on the scoreboard quickly and did not slow down.
“It’s huge,” Drury said. “I feel like we kind of get dead in the third or fourth inning, but it’s super important that you keep putting pressure on them and then you finish it out strong. And I think we’re good at doing that.”
Madison Central struck early behind a well-placed single shot toward second base from junior Devan Stewart in the top of the first inning; that run batted in junior Reille Parks to give the 11th Region champion an early 1-0 lead.
The Indians’ bats only got hotter in the second inning; senior Kaylee Rice singled down the right field line to bring home sophomore Ashlyn Hatterick and Parks delivered again with a double to left center which sent home Rice and pushed the advantage to 3.
Despite a pair of outs on the board in the top of the third, junior designated hitter Luciana Robinson kept Madison Central’s party going with an RBI single to left field, sending home freshman Penelope Robinson and positioning the Indians nicely for a spot in Saturday’s quarterfinal.
The Indians’ defense played lights-out, holding the 15th Region champion without a hit until the start of the fourth inning when Jada Patton broke through for the Bulldogs with a triple to left center. Madison Central quickly strung together a pair of outs in response, but Brinly Baisen singled up the middle to send Patton home before the Indians could escape the inning.
And, as Drury put it, Madison Central’s offense kind of got “dead.” Actually, both offenses slowed down, with Lawrence County unable to build upon its solo score after the fourth inning.
The fifth inning saw both teams go three up, three down, but Madison Central maintained both its 4-1 edge and its confidence to keep plugging away.
Madison Central junior shortstop Reille Parks — who went 4-for-4 in at-bats against the Bulldogs — noted how it’s much easier to maintain confidence with Drury in the circle.
In Thursday’s win, which pushed Drury’s season record to 21-5, the pitcher allowed just one run on two hits through seven complete innings; Drury walked one batter and struck out 14.
Drury said she made the conscious decision to change the speed and spot of her pitches, and said “that helped a lot.”
“I feel like I’m pretty accurate,” Drury said. “So when I can hit my spots, it allows me to be in control of the batter. So that helps.”
Taylor Blevins took the loss in the circle for Lawrence County; Blevins allowed seven runs on 13 hits, and struck out three batters.
Madison Central next aims to defeat unbeaten No. 1 South Warren Saturday afternoon. The Indians have never advanced past the quarterfinals round of the state tournament.
Thursday’s other first round games
South Warren 12, Oldham County 0 (5 innings): The No. 1 Spartans (42-0) continued their undefeated season with a dominant showing against Oldham County (27-11) to book a trip to Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Hadley Borders, Parker Willoughby and Layla Ogden all scored at the top of the first inning to give the Spartans an early lead. In the second inning, Kalie Kuzma hit a solo home run to left field and McLaine Hudson scored on an Apollo fielding error. Hadley Borders and Willoughby both also crossed the plate.
At the top of the third inning, Hallie Shively scored on a Kuzma single to left field, before Kuzma ran home herself from second base on a Borders RBI. The Spartans tacked on scores from Shively in the fourth inning and Willoughby and McClaine in the fifth to run-rule Oldham County.
South Warren’s Courtney Norwood allowed zero runs on only one hit across five innings, and struck out 10 batters. Oldham County saw three pitchers contribute Thursday. Oldham County’s Annabelle Brisco allowed five runs on three hits and walked three batters in 1.1 innings; Laken Nimmo allowed four runs on four hits and walked two batters in 1.1 innings; Kennedy Dennison allowed three runs on five hits in 2.1 innings.
Highlands 3, South Laurel 0: Highlands (34-6) shut out South Laurel (36-6) in Thursday’s tournament-opening matchup.
Scoreless through the first four innings, the Bluebirds scored each of their three runs in the fifth inning. Bailee Class set the tone, turning the first pitch thrown her way into a double to left center before stealing third base on a pop-fly out. Morgan Pompilio then hit a double of her own, sending Class home for the first score of the tournament.
Pompilio advanced to third base while Payton Brown reached first base on a dropped third strike, and Pompilio proceeded to score off a sacrifice fly. Brown scored an unearned run all the way to second base.
Highlands’ Kaitlyn Dixon, who advanced to 28-3 in the circle with the win, allowed zero runs on just one hit across seven complete innings, striking out 15 batters. South Laurel’s Kenzie Williams also pitched the entire game, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out nine batters.
The Bluebirds will face North Hardin at 10 a.m. Saturday in their quarterfinal matchup.
North Hardin 4, Apollo 3: North Hardin (26-12) got out to a first-inning lead and never trailed in its narrow victory against Apollo (24-13) in round one.
North Hardin junior Kaylee Johnston and senior Tykeria Davis scored in the bottom of the first before senior Tylar Craig stole home to give the Trojans a quick, 3-0 advantage. Apollo answered in the top of the third with a pair of runs scored by senior Arianna Ramirez and junior Tyler Hall thanks to a double RBI from senior Liza Page.
In the top of the fourth, Ramirez singled to center field to record an RBI of her own, sending Hannah Holder home and tying the game at 3-all. However, North Hardin regained the lead and scored what would ultimately be the winning run in the bottom of the fourth when a single from junior Kaylee Johnston batted in 7th grader Bella Cockriel.
Brooklyn Carmickle was credited with the win; Carmickle allowed three runs on seven hits, and struck out seven batters and walked one. Apollo pitcher Mollie Julian allowed four runs on five hits, and struck out six batters and walked five.
State High School Softball Tournament
What: Softball State Tournament presented by UK HealthCare
Where: University of Kentucky’s John Cropp Stadium.
Tickets: via GoFan.
Streaming: KHSAA.tv.
Thursday’s first-round games
Highlands 3, South Laurel 0.
North Hardin 4, Apollo 3.
Madison Central 7, Lawrence County 1.
South Warren 12, Oldham County 0 (5 innings).
Friday’s first-round games
10 a.m.: Bullitt East (29-4) vs. Assumption (25-11).
1 p.m.: Hazard (23-12) vs. Ballard Memorial (24-14).
5 p.m.: Henderson County (27-8) vs. Pulaski County (18-15).
8 p.m.: Ashland Blazer (30-6) vs. George Rogers Clark (36-5).
Saturday’s quarterfinals
10 a.m.: Highlands vs. North Hardin.
1 p.m.: South Warren vs. Madison Central winner.
5 p.m.: Hazard-Ballard Memorial winner vs. Bullitt East-Assumption winner.
8 p.m.: Henderson County-Pulaski County winner vs. Ashland Blazer-George Rogers Clark winner.
June 12 semifinals
3:30 p.m.: Friday’s early quarterfinals winners.
6:30 p.m.: Friday’s evening quarterfinals winners.
June 13 final
7 p.m.: Championship game.
