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By Don Eskins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Logan- Rogersville Lady Wildcats got two RBI singles in the bottom of the fifth inning, off the bats of Jenna McKenzie and Angie Coambes, with a three hit pitching gem from freshman hurler Halle Miles to slip past a very tough Reeds Spring Lady Wolves 2-1 in the Class 3 District 11 Championship final Saturday afternoon in Reeds Spring.
Miles, returning to the circle following a rough stint with the flu, kept Reeds Spring hitters out of sync throughout the game. Besides allowing just three hits she struck out six Lady Wolves and gave up just one walk.
“This was a huge win for us today. It was two really good programs with two quality pitchers facing off for one of our state’s biggest prizes, a district tournament championship,” said Logan- Rogersville head coach Denny McHenry. “It was a clean game with neither team making any mistakes. We feel very fortunate to have come out on top.”
Neither team could manage to push a runner across the plate throughout the early part of the game. But that all changed for the Wildcats in their half of the fifth inning.
With two outs Cassidy Coambes doubled and was followed by an infield hit off the bat of Ali Icenhower.
Jenna McKenzie then stroked the ball up the middle to push Coambes across the plate to give the Lady Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
With runners on first and third, following McKenzie’s base hit, Angie Coambes singled to drive in Icenhower to put Logan- Rogersville up 2-0.
But Reeds Spring would answer in the top half of the sixth.
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Izzy Erickson singled to right field, stole second base and then moved to third on Ashley Nolan’s fielder’s choice.
Brooke Davis, with two outs, then singled to left field to drive in Erickson to pull the Wolves within one of the Wildcats. Reeds Spring fought hard in the top of the seventh to tie the game up but couldn’t muster another run as Logan- Rogersville held on for the 2-1 victory.
“I went in today knowing that Reeds Spring had a lot of good hitters,” said Miles. “So I just wanted to serve up the pitches best I could. I had a lot of confidence in my defense. They’ve played well behind me all year, as they did today. I’m just so glad we got the win and can look forward to what lies ahead for us next week.”
“Halle threw a really good game for us today,” said McHenry. “She didn’t have the pop on the ball she’s had for the past few weeks, due to battling the flu, but she hit her spots well.”
Despite dropping Saturday’s district final to Logan- Rogersville head Wolves coach Scott Walker only had words of praise for his troops.
“We hit the ball, played great defense and did everything we needed to do to win,” said Walker. “But our balls didn’t fall in and there’s did. That’s just the way things work out sometimes. We’re both great teams and entering the game I thought it would probably come down to one run, and it did. But I couldn’t be any more proud of a group of young ladies than I am today. We may have come up one run shy but these girls have made our school and community proud all year.”
Although saddled with the loss Reeds Spring’s senior hurler Izzy Erickson threw equally well. Erickson gave up just six hits, struck out nine and allowed no walks.
“This game was special for us all today,” said Erickson. “We have a lot of great players on our team and we felt like we had the potential to play deep into this year’s state tournament. But we came up a bit short. Now we have to move on and I hope the very best for next year’s team.”
“I feel so blessed and honored to have been a part of this team,” Erickson added. “I really want to say thanks to my coaches, my family and all my friends that have supported me the past few years. I’ll never forget just how much they’ve meant to me.”
Erickson plans on attending Butler County CC next year.
C3D11 Box Score
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Wolves 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 0
Wildcats 0 0 0 0 2 0 x 2 6 0
Wildcats: Angie Coambes 2-3 RBI 2B; Jenna McKenzie 1-2 RBI; Cassidy Coambes 1-2 2B; Halle Miles 1-3 2B; Ali Icenhower 1-2.
Wolves: Brooke Davis 1-3 RBI; Izzy Erickson 1-3 SB; Victoria Scobee 1-3.
