KING — West Stokes’ softball team claimed its’ second Mid-State Conference Tournament Championship in the last three years with a 7-2 win over Morehead on May 2 at Bovender Field. The Panthers defeated McMichael 5-1 in the semifinals and advanced to play the Wildcats.
The Lady Cats broke the scoring drought when they scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Haley Yates led the inning off by reaching on an error and advance to second on a one-out hit by Syndey Holder. Baylee Tilley doubled with two-outs scoring both Yates and courtesy runner Sophie Wilhelm.
West add three more runs in the bottom of the fifth when Halo Akers singled to start the inning. Courtesy runner Kaylee Sammons stole second and scored when Olivia Goforth reached on an error. Yates doubled scoring Goforth and then Alyssa Sparks singled platting Yates making it 5-0.
The Panthers scored their first run of the game on a homerun to centerfield by Kylee Horsley making it 5-1.
The home team added two insurance runs in the bottom of the six inning when Reese Hall scored on Goforth’s single. Goforth advanced to third on a fielding error by the right-fielder and then scored on a hit by Yates.
Erica Biggs smashed a double to centerfield to start the seventh inning for the Panthers. Ashlyn Dallas reached on an error and then Tylar Crawford walked to load the bases with two outs. Horsley singled scoring a run, but then Tilley threw out Jenna Mauney at the plate to end the game.
Holder earned the win for the Wildcats by surrendering eight hits, two runs over seven innings, striking out five and walking one. Sallie Aheron took the loss for the Panthers after going four and one-third inning, giving up five runs on five hits, three strikeouts, and no walks.
Yates and Sparks collected two hits each for West with Goforth, Holder, Tilley, Hall, and Akers contributing one hit each. Goforth, Yates, and Tilley recorded 2RBIs each with Sparks having one.
Horsley went 3-for-4 with 2RBIs, and a run scored for Morehead.
Holder earned the most outstanding player of the tournament with Akers, Hall, Yates, and Tilley making the All-Tournament team.
Goforth was voted the Mid-State 2A Player of the Year, and Sparks, Tilley, Holder, Yates, and Ashlynn Cox were announced as All-Conference players. Hall and Akers received honorable mention All-Conference and Coach Jordan Stevens was named coach of the year.
The Wildcats improved to 17-4 overall and Morehead dropped to 14-8.
West Stokes was paired against Providence Grove in the first round of the state 2A playoffs, but the game was suspended on Tuesday, May 7 with the Cats up 4-0 with one out in the top of the fourth inning. Morehead was set to play Bunker Hill (18-2).
West Stokes 7, Morehead 2
Morehead 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 — 2 8 3
West Stokes 0 0 0 2 3 2 x — 7 9 1
2B: Alyssa Sparks (WS), Baylee Tilley (WS), Haley Yates (WS), Erica Biggs (M), Tylar Crawford (M); HR: Kylee Horsley (M); HBP: Ashlynn Cox (WS); SF: Olivia Goforth (WS); SB: Alyssa Sparks (WS), Kaylee Sammons (WS), Reese Hall (WS); CS: Brooklyn Wray (M); Error: Ashlynn Cox (WS), Emily Biggs (M), Jenna Mauney (M), Tylar Crawford (M)
West Stokes Pitching: Sydney Holder (W) — 7IP, 8H, 2R, 1ER, BB, 5K
Morehead Pitching: Saillie Aheron (L) — 4.1IP 5H, 5R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K; Kylee Horsley — 1.2IP, 4H, 2R, 1ER, 0BB, 4K
Records: West Stokes 17-4, Morehead 14-8
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