SOFTBALL DISTRICT

 Corbin and South Laurel advanced to the championship game of the 50^th District Softball Tournament at Whitley County High Monday night. The Corbin Lady Redhounds held off the Lady Colonels, 4-2, while South Laurel beat Williamsburg, 5-1.

Corbin 4, Whitley County 2: It was a battle for the right to advance to the 13^th Region Softball Tournament as well as bragging rights for another year.

Corbin (16-17) struck right off the bat, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. Angela Hicks starting for Clarissa Garcia, who was out after coming down with an illness, mishandled the first play of the game, allowing Allison Woolums to reach base.

Woolums moved to third on ground outs by Morgan Brock and Calli Hendrickson. She scored on a triple to put Corbin ahead 1-0. Hill scored on Savanna Smith’s base hit.

Whitley County (17-20) answered the challenge when Hicks hit a double and scored on Jadon Dopel’s base hit.

Dopel tied the game on a sacrifice by Caitlyn Walden and a ground ball to second by Simbree Sizemore.

Corbin took the lead for good in the bottom of the third when Hendrickson hit a two-out single. Back-to-back base hits by Hill and Smith allowed Hendrickson to score and put the Lady Redhounds ahead, 3-2.

Corbin loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth, but only came away with one run. Sarah Woolums led off with a hit up the middle that was misplayed. She went to second on a Hannah Hart base hit, then scored on a passed ball, giving the Lady ‘Hounds a 4-2 lead.

Whitley County, who left nine runners stranded, missed a chance to tie the game in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Jadon Dopel hit up the middle. Walden followed with a walked before Dopel stole third.

Corbin pitcher Morgan Brock got Simbree Sizemore to pop out to end the inning.

“It’s just frustrating,” said Whitley County Coach David Halcomb. “This was the third time we lost to them this season. We lost all three games by a total of five runs.”

South Laurel 5, Williamsburg 1: Williamsburg gave a valiant effort before going down to the Lady Cardinals of South Laurel, 5-1. Williamsburg had been beaten, 18-0 and 10-0 in their two district games.

It was Williamsburg striking first in the top of the first inning. Taylor Haynes hit into an infield error then stole second. She scored on a two-out base hit by Jessica Ball.

However, the lead was short-lived as South Laurel scored two runs in the bottom of the inning. Destinee Fisher led off with a single to right field then went to second on a passed ball. Emily Gaines moved Fisher to third on a ground ball to short and the South Laurel runner scored on a Jamie Baker hit.

Baker scored on a fielder’s choice by Chelsea Wemes for the one-run lead.

Williamsburg (2-22) made a threat in the fourth when Sara Meadors and Felicia Shirley had hits to center field, but the Lady Jackets came up empty and left the runners stranded.

Fisher, who scored three of the Lady Cardinals’ runs, crossed the plate in the bottom of the fourth after hitting a one-out double. She scored on a Baker base hit.

Ball got her second hit of the game in the top of the sixth, but was left stranded when Fisher struck out Meadors and Elmore.

Williamsburg ended the season on a positive note, winning two of their last four games after starting the season 0-21. They beat Barbourville last week 11-4 and beat Burgin Saturday in the Lady Bulldog Round Robin, 10-4.

Corbin 4, Whitley Co. 2

Whitley Co.            020  000  0- 2  7  4

Corbin               201  100  x- 4  6  4

Caitlyn Walden and Jadon Dopel. Morgan Brock and Bethany Hensley. W-Brock, L-Walden. 2B-Hicks (WC). 3B-Hill (C).

South Laurel 5, Williamsburg 1

Williamsburg            100  000  0- 1    4  2

South Laurel            200  102  x- 5  10  2

Sara Meadors and Carissa Conlin. Emily Gaines, Destinee Fisher and Chelsea Wemes. W-Gaines, L-Meadors. 2B-Fisher (SL), Gaines (SL).