The Switzerland County Lady Pacer softball team continued to roll through its season on Monday night, defeating Jac-Cen-Del by a score of 5-3 to claim the conference title. The win upped the Switzerland County record to 18-0 overall and 11-0 in conference play.
Coach Steven Konkle said that it was a hard-fought defensive battle throughout. Switzerland County got its first run in the second inning when Natalie Daugherty scored; but Jac-Cen-Del came back with two runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead.
The Lady Pacers tied the game in the sixth with a run; and then got a run in the seventh to take a 3-2 lead. The Lady Eagles then tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, but in the first extra inning the Lady Pacers got two runs and then shut the door on Jac-Cen-Del in the bottom of the frame for the victory.
Coach Konkle singled out Tanya Sefton’s play, as the freshman got a leadoff hit in the sixth inning and then came back with a big hit in the eighth.
Natalie Daugherty threw out a runner in the seventh from her catcher’s position to stop a threat; and Brittany Cole had the two RBI in the eighth with a single; and converted a double play by throwing from first to third in the bottom of the eighth.
Kodi Driver picked up her 14th win on the season by pitching all eight innings, striking out five and allowing only two walks and seven hits. Only one of the runs was earned.
Tanya Sefton scored two runs; while Natalie Daugherty, Ashley Chase, and Courtney Cole each scored one apiece.
Tanya Sefton was 2-for-4 at the plate; Brittany Cole was 1-for-4; Natalie Daugherty was 2-for-4 with a double; and Ashley Chase was 1-for-3.
Holly Jackson and Jaclyn Ranz also had runs batted in during the game; and Tanya Sefton had two stolen bases; and Ashley Chase, Natalie Graham, and Jaclyn Ranz each had one.
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Last Wednesday the Lady Pacers picked up their 17th win of the season with a non-conference win over Oldenburg Academy, 12-0.
Coach Konkle said that Oldenburg pitched a lefthander in the game — something that the Lady Pacers hadn’t seen during the season; but the hitters quickly adjusted and hit the ball hard.
Switzerland County scored six runs in the second inning, and got the other six in the third.
Kodi Driver pitched five innings, striking out five and allowing only one walk and one hit. She was also 1-for-2 at the plate, scoring a run.
Offensively, Natalie Daugherty was 3-for-4 with a triple, scored two runs, knocked in a run, and stole a base. Holly Jackson was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two RBI, and two stolen bases.
Brittany Cole was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base; and Courtney Cole was 1-for-2 with a triple and two runs scored and two RBI.
Tanya Sefton was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and one stolen base; Ashley Chase was 1-for-2 with two runs scored, an RBI, and a stolen base; Natalie Graham was 1-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base; and Jaclyn Ranz was 1-for-3 with an RBI.