The run of the Warsaw softball season that some were beginning to describe as magical came to an abrupt halt on Monday night when the Ladycats were upset by Stockton in a Class 2 District 7 semifinal, 4-1.
Stockton struck first on a 2-out, 2-run single in the fourth to give the Lady Tigers a 2-0 lead. But Warsaw countered in the bottom half of the inning when Tanna Howe and Brylee Brewster led off the frame with back-to-back singles. Howe stole second and came around to score later on a fielder's choice by Elizabeth Winters to make it 2-1.
Offense was hard to come by for either team in the fifth or sixth, but Stockton rallied for 2 more runs in the top of the seventh when the Lady Tigers' leadoff batter reached on an error and then back-to-back doubles plated 2 more runs to make the score 4-1 before Warsaw could retire the side.
A flyout and 2 groundouts in the bottom of the seventh ended the Ladycats season, much to the surprise of the stunned Warsaw faithful.
Howe and Brewster paced the offense with 2 hits apiece while 1 each was contributed by Jaylen McCullick and Mady Reimund.
Brewster also took the loss, going the full 7. She allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 8 hits and struck out 7.
* * *
To reach their semifinal, the Ladycats dismantled Pleasant Hope on Friday in a less than climatic 10-0 victory.
Warsaw tallied 3 runs in the third and 4 in the fourth before putting things away early with 1 more run in the fourth and 2 to walk it off in the fifth with the 10-0 final.
Tanna Howe, Brylee Brewster and Sara Miller each picked up 2 hits for the Ladycats while Adison Sherrill and Elizabeth Winters both had 1.
Brewster notched the win for Warsaw. She went 5 frames, gave up 0 runs on just 2 hits and struck out 8.
* * *
The Ladycats finished their season with an impressive 23-3 overall record.
A complete wrap-up of the season, with honors, will be carried in the Benton County Enterprise in the upcoming weeks.
