Less than 24 hours before a hard line drive struck pitcher Alicia Miller in the left knee in the third inning of the semifinal game with Nicholas Co. The injury drew blood and Miller had to be carried from the field. Less than 24 hours later, with the help of the determination to help her team to the state tournament and the miracle of modern medicine at Christ Hospital, Miller came back to throw a complete game against nemisis Bracken County and come within one pitch of a shutout. She also gritted out two hits.

The Lady 'Stangs are going to the Touchstone Energy All "A" State Tournament as 10th Region Champions once again. Northern Kentucky's Number 1 ranked team, beat Bracken County 4-2. They will play Middlesboro at 9 AM Saturday in Jeffersontown, Kentucky. They are now 21-4 on the season while Bracken falls to 15-11.

The Lady 'Stangs came out swinging with Paige baynum opening play with a line shot double. She moved to third on a Nat Woeste scarifice and then rode home on a hard double by Lindsay Griffith. Jenna Bezold singled and then on a Molly Williams grounder to short Griffith was thrown out at the plate on a photo finish. Miller helped herself with a sharp single to drive home Bezold and it was 2-0.

The game remained 2-0 til the 5th inning with greta pitching by Miller and superb defense by the Lady 'Stangs. A heads up play in the third caught Hannah Brough in a rundown erasing a possible run. Miller gritted thru five allowing just 4 singles.

In the bottom of the fifth with two out and Krista Kennedy on second after a single and sacrifice, Griffith launched a shot over the fence in left field to give her team a seemingly comfortable 4-0 lead. However the Polar Bears had other ideas.

Pitcher Sara Sticklen, a surprise starter, singled and then Alana Ahrens drilled one of the longest home runs in 10th Region history to right center. Suddenly it was 4-2 but it got worse. Hannah Haight beatout an infield single and so did Alicia Mains. Miller struck out Bella but Broguh reached on an error and the bases were loaded for Bracken with momentum going their way. Berry hit a one hopper to Molly Williams who alertly went home for a close forceout at home and then Miller coaxed Kaitlyn Meyer to ground to Emily Schubert who also alertly went to Krista Kennedy at third for the force and the Lady 'Stangs dodged a huge bullet.

In the seventh Jackie Crawford grounded to "Chicken Wing" at third before Sticklen singled and Miller struck out Ahrens with the tying run on base. Moments later Miller grabbed a comebacker from Haight and tossed to Bezold to send the Lady 'Stangs to state. You gotta love it.

You gotta love it.

 

I do! Congrats and good luck Lady Stangs!:ylsuper:

 

Who pitched for the bears the game against the Saints on Thursday?