Trigg County broke open a close game with a five-run fourth inning and added four more runs over the final three frames to beat Boyd County 11-6 in the third place game of the Class 2A State Championships in Owensboro on Saturday.
The Lady Wildcats won two of the three games played in its inaugural appearance in the tournament that began in 2021.
After playing in the sunshine and 82 degree weather on Friday, the third place game on Saturday was 30 degrees cooler after storms rolled through the area early Saturday, pushing back the start time by over three hours.
After both teams were scoreless in the first, Trigg County struck first in the top of the second. Jazzy Tejada reached on an error, Lily Eagleson followed with a single, and Jayden Visingardi walked to load the bases. Ady Holley then drew a bases-loaded walk to force home Tejada.
Boyd County threatened in the bottom of the second with back-to-back two-out singles from Brooke Jacobs and Reagan Robbins, but Tember Oliver induced a groundout to end the threat.
Boyd County answered in the bottom of the third inning. Jadyn Goad singled, Emilee Bush reached on a fielder’s choice, and Jaycie Goad followed with another fielder’s choice. Lacyn Black then singled to center to bring home Jaycie Goad and tie the game at 1-1.
The Lady Wildcats responded with the game’s biggest inning in the top of the fourth. Lily Eagleson and Jayden Visingardi were both hit by pitches to open the frame. Mckinli Corey replaced Black in the circle, and Evelyn Ezell followed with an RBI single to right to score Eagleson and make it 2-1.
Kady Fuller then ripped a two-run double off the centerfield fence to score two. Oliver added a sacrifice fly, and Livia Breckel added an RBI single to left to score Fuller. Jazzy Tejada capped the six-run inning with an RBI double that plated Breckel to extend the margin to 7-1.
Boyd County got one back in the bottom of the fifth. Jadyn Goad singled, part of her four-hit day. Emilee Bush followed with another single, and Jaycie Goad drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to trim the deficit to 7-2.
Trigg County pushed the lead back out in the top of the seventh after a scoreless sixth. Eagleson singled and Visingardi doubled deep to left field to score Eagleson and moved to third on the throw. Lexie Valentine followed with an RBI double to center to make it 9-2. Kady Fuller singled, and Oliver lined a two-run single to left to score both Fuller and Valentine for an 11-2 advantage.
Boyd County made one last push in the bottom of the seventh. Jadyn Goad and Emilee Bush opened with singles, and Jaycie Goad added another single. Savanna Henderson delivered an RBI single to right to score Jadyn Goad.
Black reached on an error that brought home both Emilee Bush and Jaycie Goad, making it 11-5. A wild pitch allowed Henderson to score for the final run before Oliver recorded the last out to seal the 11-6 win.
Oliver went the distance in improving to 17-2. She did allow 13 hits. 12 of those were singles and six didn’t leave the infield. Oliver also struck out eight in being named to the All-Tournament team. In three games, she struck out 21, allowed just six earned runs, and did not walk a batter.
Oliver also had four hits and four RBI at the plate.
Fuller, who was also named an All-Tournament Team selection, added a double, single, and two RBI.
Jazzy Tejada contributed a double and an RBI, while Breckel and Eagleson each had a pair of hits.
In addition to Goad’s four hit day for Boyd County (10-8), Henderson had two singles and two RBI while playing a solid defense at third base to erase a couple of Trigg grounders destined to go for extra bases.
Trigg’s weekend pushed its record to 19-5, marking only the fourth time the program has won that many games in a season. Three have come in the last three seasons.
UP NEXT – Trigg County will play at Lyon County on Tuesday in the first meeting of the district rivals this season.
FIFTH DISTRICT STANDINGS
Lyon County 1-0
Trigg County 1-1
Crittenden County 1-2
Livingston Central 0-1
