Timely hits, defense propel Girard to Class 4A state softball tournament for second consecutive year

Timely hitting, defense and strong pitching.
Coaches will agree that, in softball, a combination of those three ingredients will mix a fine recipie for winning.
The Girard Trojan softball team got exactly that as they knocked off previously unbeaten Columbus 3-0 in the Class 4A regional softball championship at Red Wutke Park on Wednesday.
The Trojans (21-0) picked up six hits and three runs to take care of Columbus (17-1) whereas the Titans only had one hit off of Girard starter Starr McLeod. That stamps the Trojans’ ticket to the Class 4A state tournament in Salina for the second consecutive year.
Hitting was something that the Trojans worked on, even after their 7-1 win over Labette County in the semifinals earlier in the day.
“I was afraid because we faced that off-speed pitcher in the first game against Labette and I thought of what we could do to prepare our girls for someone who throws a lot harder,” said Girard head coach Jerry O’Rand. “We talked about it and went over and practiced a little bit.”
But, it was McLead that kept Columbus off-balance at the plate — only giving up a leadoff single in the fourth inning to Jordan Allen.
“Mainly, I knew that I had to hit locations and that I had to get the off-speed working,” McLeod said.
McLeod’s pitching forced the Titans to hit into 16 groundouts or lineouts in the infield and catcher Lisa Curran had a foul catch up against the backstop four the third out of the sixth inning.
“We take pride in our defense all year and when we make errors that’s what shocks me,” O’Rand said. “Our defense paves the way for us I think.”
Girard got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning after Alysha Poteat picked up a two-out double to left-center field. Ariel Vinze scored her on an RBI single to right. The Trojans had three straight hits off of Columbus starter Bailie Hatfield in the first inning.
The Trojans picked up another run in the second when Curran led off the inning with a single down the left field line and moved to second on a stolen base then to third on the same play.
Kaela Chavero scored Curran with a sacrifice grounder back to Hatfield, putting the Trojans up 2-0.
Even then, O’Rand knew that two runs may not hold up against the Titans.
“I didn’t think that two runs would hold up,” O’Rand said. “But, I knew that Starr had that twinkle in her eye and she was ready to go.”
That twinkle turned into three-up, three-down innings, except for the fourth when Allen picked up Columbus’ lone hit.
McLeod said that it was the Trojan defense that made the big difference.
“I have never been so confident to be out on the mound,” McLeod said. “To know that they will always be there and backing me up is great.”
Girard had one issue in the fifth when Taylor Stewart hit a sharp grounder that was fielded by shortstop Maddy Overman. Overman applied a tag to Stewart trying to take second base then caught McLeod trying to take third with a throw to Allen who came in from left field to cover third.
“We work on that ... on our left fielder coming in and covering and we have been able to run that very well a couple of times this season,” said Columbus head coach Jim Green.
Even with the double play, O’Rand said that he would not have changed the play call.
“I really thought that we had that,” O’Rand said. “If we would have that situation five more times I would do the same thing five times except I may have Starr around that bag a little closer so that the girl is not running from left-center, she is running from second.”
The Trojans added an insurance run in the sixth after Poteat drew a one-out walk and stole second.
She scored from second when Nikki Cuthbertson smacked an RBI double to left field.
In the end, it was the six hits to one ratio that made the difference for the Trojans.
“We just did not get any timely hitting and there were some slip ups that were uncharacteristic of us,” Green said. “Not to take anything away from them (Girard) because they are a fine club.”
Along with forcing Columbus to hit into 16 groundouts, McLeod only let the Titans hit one ball that went to the outfield for the entire game.
“Our girls had that sense that ‘we will not lose,’”, O’Rand said. “That is a tribute to their character.”

High school softball
at Red Wutke Park
Class 4A regional tournament
Championship
Girard 3, Columbus 0
Columbus     000 000 0 — 0 1 1
Girard        110 001 x — 3 6 0
Starr McLeod and Lisa Curran. Bailie Hatfield and Kate Overman. WP — McLeod (2-0). LP — Hatfield (0-1). E — Natalie Koons. DP — Columbus 1, LOB — Columbus 1, Girard 3. 2B — Alysha Poteat, Nikki Cuthbertson.
Semifinals
Girard 7, Labette County 1
Labette County    000 100 0 — 1  1  2
Girard            120 202 x — 7 12 0
Starr McLeod and Lisa Curran. Sierra Foster and Lakin Myers. WP — McLeod (1-0). LP — Foster (0-2). E — Katie Traxson, Jymie Graham. LOB — Labette 2, Girard 7. 2B — Alysha Poteat, Ariel Vinze.
Columbus 2, Independence 0
Independence    000 000 0 — 0 3 0
Columbus        100 001 x — 2 3 0
Natalie Koons and Maddy Overman. Tori Kebert and Jessican Kebert. WP — Koons (1-0). LP — T. Kebert (1-1). LOB — Indy 7, Columbus 3. 2B — Taylor Smith, Kierstin Green, Kayla DeRusse.