A pair of third-inning, unearned runs were all the Grayson County Cougar softball team needed Thursday to claim victory in the 12th District Championship as junior Embry Thorpe tossed a one-hit shutout.
Thorpe retired the first seven batters she faced before giving up a ground-ball single up the middle to Butler County designated player, Bayleigh Alford in the third inning.
The Bears had just two base-runners the entire game. In addition to Alford’s single, second baseman Amber Thacker reached base with a leadoff walk in the fourth inning, but Thorpe retired the next 12 batters in a row to end the game. She finished with 13 strikeouts.
Butler County pitcher, Kylee Smith, also pitched well and deserved a better fate. She allowed just five hits over six innings, all of them singles. The only runs the Cougars scored came following a throwing error in the third inning.
Kenzie Renfrow led off the third with a bunt single, and she advanced to second on a single up the middle by Thorpe, who was replaced on the bases by Shelbi Fisher. With Makayla Clark at the plate, the Cougars worked a double steal attempt. Bear catcher, Hannah Chaney, trying for Renfrow at third base, saw her throw head into left field. Renfrow scored easily, and Fisher, who never stopped, also came in to score.
That was it for the scoring. After the runs had scored, the Cougars got singles from Maddie Duvall and Rachael Snyder, but Smith retired Lindsay O’Neal for the final out of the inning. Smith retired the final 10 Cougar batters she faced, but the damage had already been done.
Following the game, 12th District awards were presented. Named to the All-Academic Team were: Clark, from Grayson County, Erin Kinsey, from Trinity, Katlynn Collins, from Edmonson County, and Tori McKinney, from Butler County.
Named to the regular season team were: Clark, Thorpe, and Bailey Snyder, from Grayson County; Valerie Wilkerson, Savannah Aull and Cassidy Morris, from Trinity; Collins, Kaitlyn Hyde, and Katie Lindsey, from Edmonson County; Smith, Chaney and Olivia Jones, from Butler County.
Finally, named to the All-Tournament Team were: Thorpe, Clark, Snyder and O’Neal, from Grayson County; Jones, Smith and Dixie Garnier, from Butler County; Brittany Booker and Nina Wathen, from Trinity; Karissa Waldrop and Mariena Thomas, from Edmonson County.
By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com
Kenzie Renfrow crosses the plate as Shelbi Fisher heads
to third. Both runs scored on a Butler County throwing
error and were the only runs in the game.
Embry Thorpe allowed just one hit and struck out 13 batters.
Named to the 12th District Academic Team were, L-R:
Tori McKinney, Butler County, Katlynn Collins,
Edmonson County, and Mikayla Clark, Grayson County.
Not pictured was Erin Kinsey, Whitesville Trinity.
The regular season All 12th District Team. Front row, L-R:
Katie Lindsey, Edmonson County, Valerie Wilkerson and
Savannah Aull, Trinity, Kaitlyn Hyde and Katlynn Collins,
Edmonson County. Back row, L-R: Mikayla Clark, Bailey Snyder
and Embry Thorpe, Grayson County; Olivia Jones, Kylee Smith
and Hannah Chaney, Butler County. Not pictured was Cassidy Morris, Trinity
The 12th District All-Tournament Team;
Front row, L-R: Mikayla Clark, Bailey Snyder, Embry Thorpe,
and Lindsay O’Neal, Grayson County. Back row, L-R: Mariena
Thomas and Karissa Waldrop, Edmonson County; Brittany Booker,
Trinity; Olivia Jones, Dixie Garnier and Kylee Smith, Butler County.
Not pictured was Nina Wathen, Trinity.
