YSE File Photo
After trailing by three runs with six outs to go, the Christian County High School softball team turned to its senior leader to finish off a dramatic, come-from-behind victory. And she did not disappoint.
Gracie Harned’s two-out RBI double broke a seventh-inning tie Tuesday and lifted the Colonels to a thrilling 4-3 walk-off win over Webster County in Hopkinsville. Harned, who struck out nine Trojans, also earned the pitching decision as a result of her clutch, game-winning hit.
Just under a month since Harned homered to lead CCHS to a 4-2 win at Webster in Dixon, the Cols found themselves in a 3-0 hole after 5.5 innings at Lady Colonel Field. But that’s when the perennial 2nd Region contenders finally kicked its offense into gear and ultimately got a little help from the visitors.
After Avery Adcock’s line drive allowed her to reach base on a lead-off Webster County error in the bottom of the sixth, Chloe Almy’s one-out RBI groundout brought the Missouri commit Adcock home to get Christian County on the board and cut the Trojan lead to 3-1.
Three batters later, after Jazmira Tejada reached on another WCHS error, and Jordan Turner singled to put runners at first and second, Haley Petterson lined her fourth double of the season into right field, plating the aforementioned base runners and tying the game at 3-all.
In the seventh, after Harned retired Webster in order during the top half, the Colonels once again produced two-out magic during the bottom. And after Adcock was intentionally walked, Harned overcame an 0-2 count and dropped the run-scoring, game-clinching hit into right field.
The Colonels, who had lost six of seven games prior to the start of this week, have now captured consecutive victories for the first time since April 1. Adcock went 0-for-2 but scored twice and drew two walks. Petterson’s lone hit was the big-time double that knotted the game.
Webster (14-7) took control early on Jenna Shelley’s two-out RBI single in the first inning. The visiting Trojans, who had won 12 of their last 14 games coming in, then went up 3-0 in the top of the fifth after Chloe Papineau’s sacrifice bunt and one of two CCHS errors — both coming with two outs.
Harned (4-4) struck out nine in the circle and walked just one. She scattered three hits and allowed two earned runs. Her counterpart, Webster County junior Chloe Papineau (10-6), struck out 11 in the 6 2/3-inning complete game. She walked four and gave up four runs, but just one was earned.
Christian County (9-7) will play its third home game in four days when the Colonels welcome Todd County Central at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. The Cols and Rebels met last year, but Thursday’s pairing will be just the fourth between the programs since 2004.
