Eagles win 11th place in slugfest

NASHVILLE -- The South Putnam Eagle softball team took the long trek to Brown County on Friday to play a Western Indiana Conference crossover game, winning an 18-16 slugfest to defeat the Eagles and claim 11th place in the conference.

The two teams combined to score 34 runs and total 38 hits for the game.

The Eagle offense was paced by Drew Bratcher who homered, doubled and had six RBI.

"This was definitely a team effort. We started talking about it in March and tonight there was better example of that tonight. Every girl contributed and that is what we are stressing. That is South Putnam softball," South Putnam head coach Jamie Steffy said.

South started the game with a bang as Makenzi Myers hit a two-run home run in the top of the first. Brown County showed it had a big hitting team as well as it posted five runs in the bottom of the inning.

Helen Eaglin drove in a run in the top of the second to bring South closer at 5-3. Brown County countered again with three-run second inning highlighted by back-to-back doubles giving them an 8-3 lead. The two teams had their only scoreless full inning in the third.

Brown County added two more in the bottom half of the inning for a 16-12 lead.

The comeback kids did it again, though. Grace Carr led off with a double, Lily Stein singled, Sydney Jackman came through with an RBI single. Griffith added another RBI single. Another Eaglin single loaded the bases. Myers walked forcing in a run, bringing Bratcher to the plate. The freshman catcher took advantage to smack a three-run double to put SP up 18-16.

Brown County loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with one out, but a 1-2-3 double play gave South Putnam the win.

S.Putnam 210 531 6 -- 18 17 4

Brown Co. 530 242 0 -- 16 21 3

2B -- Bratcher, Carr (2). HR --Bratcher, Myers

Next game -- South Putnam (10-12-1) hosts Rockville tonight.