The Christian County Lady Colonels were on the verge of handing the Livingston Central Lady Cardinals their first two-game losing streak of the season and ending their season all in one fell swoop Monday afternoon. Then the two-time All A Classic state champions did what champions do, they found a way to win a game that was about to get away from them.
Livingston Central scored their only two runs of the game in the top of the sixth and then closed the doors on a Christian County rally in the bottom of the seventh as the Lady Cardinals took a 2-1 win in the final quarterfinal round game of the 2nd Region softball tournament at Webster County High School.
The game entered the top of the sixth inning with Christian County holding a 1-0 lead and starting pitcher Jordan Turner having allowed just one hit through the first five innings. Livingston Central got their rally started with one out in the top of the sixth when Victoria Joiner beat out an infield single with a headfirst slide. The hustle play from the senior appeared to ignite the Lady Cardinals, who had been fairly quiet most of the afternoon.
Joiner stole second and then advanced to third when the Lady Colonels got a little careless getting the ball back to the pitcher’s circle. Addison Tramble followed that up with a single to right to score Joiner and tie the game at 2-2. After a strikeout, Chloe Doyle doubled to left, scoring Tramble and putting the Lady Cardinals up 2-1.
Christian County got a leadoff single from Jazzy Tejada in the bottom of the inning but was not able to get anything out of it. Jordan Turner set Livingston Central down in order in the top of the 7th, setting the stage for a dramatic ending.
After a strikeout to open the bottom of the seventh, Jayda Turned reached base on a walk. That brought Avery Adcock to the plate as the potential game-winning run and without a blink, Livingston Central coach Matt Hargrove decided he wanted no part of Adcock in that situation and he decided to hand out an intentional walk giving the Lady Colonels runners at 1st and 2nd with just one out.
But there was no celebration on this day for the Lady Colonels. Chloe Almy popped out to short and then B.B. Rodriguez flied out to center as the Lady Cardinals erupted into celebration while the tears began to flow in earnest for the Lady Colonels, who had seemingly been so close to pulling off the upset and and moving on.
Christian County had taken the lead in the first inning of the game when Avery Adcock walked and then scored on a hit from B.B. Rodriguez to make it 1-0.
From there, until the 6th inning, it was a battle between Christian County’s Jordan Turner and Livingston Central’s Addison Tramble. The two pitchers gave up next to nothing for the next several innings.
Christian County was held to two hits in the game, one from Rodriguez and the other from Jazzy Tejada.
Addison Tramble was 1-3 for Livingston Central with an RBI and a run scored. Chloe Doyle finished 1-2 with an RBI.
Jordan Turner went the distance for Christian County, giving up two runs, one of them earned, on four hits, striking out 8 and walking one.
Addison Tramble had a big game for the Lady Cardinals, going seven innings, giving up one run on two hits, striking out 12, and walking six.
Christian County finishes the season at 21-14.
Livingston Central goes to 24-6 and moves on to face Caldwell County in the regional semifinals.
