BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Top-seed Union County fell behind 4-0 and never led, losing to second-seed Madison County 7-4 in the District 5-1A softball championship game on May 5 in Hilliard.
The Tigers (17-5) now wait for the final rankings, which will determine if they’ll receive one of the two at-large playoff berths in Region 3. Union was the highest-ranked team in its region entering the district tournament.
Madison, as a district champ, earned an automatic playoff berth.
The Region 3 playoffs will begin Thursday, May 12.
Madison (14-9) had two straight singles in the top of the first. Josie Driggers, who hit the first, scored on an error.
The Cowgirls increased their lead to 4-0 in the second. Mackenzi Bochnia drew a one-out walk, followed by Tsadi Irvine hitting a bloop single over first baseman Hannah Rivera. Third baseman Hailey Rivera caught a pop-up for the second out, but Madison’s Driggers doubled down the third-base line to plate the Cowgirls’ second run. Kelsie Shea Thompson singled to drive in another run, while Driggers scored on a passed ball.
Union cut its deficit in half in the third inning. The Tigers had two on with one out when a Leah Clark single scored Tamia Young, who reached on a walk. After the Cowgirls recorded the second out, Nyasia Williams hit a single to score Angela Tucker, who reached on an error. That put the score at 4-2.
Madison’s Thompson led off the top of the fifth with a double down the third-base line. She came around to score on a single by Brianna Thompson to make the score 5-2. The Cowgirls later had the bases loaded with two outs before Clark fielded a ground ball at her shortstop position to get out of the inning.
Young led off the Tigers’ half of the fifth with an infield single. One out later, she scored on a triple by Clark. Hailey Rivera drew a walk before Cowgirls pitcher Driggers fielded a ground ball hit by Williams. Driggers was able to hold Clark at third, while throwing Williams out at first. Union’s Hayley Burke then walked to load the bases. Mackenzie Clemons took four straight balls to walk as well and force a run in, making the score 5-4.
Driggers, who had thrown seven straight balls at that point, was replaced by Kelsie Shea Thompson, who recorded a strikeout to get out of the inning with Madison clinging to a one-run lead.
Madison’s first two batters in the top of the sixth reached on infield singles. A. ground out to shortstop by Morgan Sevor scored Driggers to increase the Cowgirls’ lead to 6-4.
After the Tigers went three up and three down in the bottom of the sixth, the Cowgirls added another run in the seventh. Irvine hit a leadoff single, advanced on Archambault’s sacrifice bunt and scored on a Kelsie Shea Thompson single that dropped into shallow center field.
Hailey Rivera reached on a one-out walk in the bottom of the seventh. Williams hit a ball into the outfield, but right fielder Irvine fired a throw to second base to get Rivera out. Burke then drew a walk to put two runners on for the Tigers, but Thompson recorded a strikeout to end the game.
Union finished with four hits against Driggers and Thompson, with Clark going 2 for 4 with two RBI.
