Lady Knights softball defeat Highland, fall to Jersey in Regionals
By Ray Popkess
Triad Softball got off to an astounding start to their postseason at the Highland Regional with a victory over the host school. However, a second round rematch with another intra-conference opponent brought their season to an abrupt end.
Game one on Wednesday, May 20 was the last iteration of the Lady Knights and Lady Bulldogs facing off as conference foes and Triad got the best of the matchup.
Highland started the scoring off in the top of the first with a single from Holly Sexton. She worked her way around the bases due to a sacrifice bunt and tagging up on a lineout, eventually scoring on a passed ball during a Lucy Becker at-bat. This proved to be Highland’s only run of the game.
Triad got their run back in the bottom of the first on a double from Abby Harper that scored Regan Sexton who singled earlier in the inning.
The next run of the game didn’t come until the bottom of the third when Chatham Nemsky doubled home Kenzie Becker and pushed pinch runner Lilly Gaskill to third. Gaskill came home to score on a sacrifice fly from Danica Keller one batter later. Grace Zitta drew a walk to put runners on the corners for Peyton Horn. Zitta found her way on second after a routine steal. Horn drove a single into left field on the next pitch, allowing the two runners to cross the plate and putting Triad up 5-1.
Triad’s next couple of runs came in the bottom of the fourth. Harper singled with one out and two runners on, putting another run on the board and Sexton to third. Sexton stole home in the following at-bat and put the Lady Knights up 7-1.
Harper collected her third hit and fourth RBI of the game in the bottom of the fifth with a bases loaded two-out single into right field. She finished the game off in the circle throwing all seven innings and collecting 10 strikeouts while giving up five hits to the Lady Bulldogs.
The Regional Finals was a matchup between Triad and Jersey on Thursday, May 21. Triad bested Jersey the Saturday before in a regular season contest by a 9-1 final score, but the Lady Panthers were not planning to lie down in the postseason.
Triad struck first in the bottom of the first inning. Harper plated Sexton on an RBI single to take an early lead.
Jersey retook the lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI single from Holly Brainerd that led to a couple throwing errors, putting the Lady Panthers up 2-1. Jena Pegram grounded into a fielder’s choice in the next at-bat, but with only one out, she pushed across another run.
Brainerd added another run for the Lady Panthers on an RBI single in the top of the sixth.
Triad couldn’t dig themselves out of the 4-1 hole and ended their season with a 24-12 record. The squad will lose four seniors to graduation next season but will return a majority of their varsity contributors for next spring.
