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SOFTBALL SECTIONAL: Eagles hold off Cougars 9-5 in semifinal game
South Putnam jumped out to a 9-2 lead after four innings on Tuesday evening in the second semifinal game of the Greencastle softball sectional, and appeared on its way to a 10-run rule triumph.
The Cougars toughened at that point, adding three more runs and keeping the Eagles off the board — but South Putnam still emerged with a 9-5 victory.
North Putnam took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Mia Runnells tripled with one out and came home on a single by Olivia Haste.
The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the first on a controversial play. Helen Eaglin led off with a single and, one out later, appeared to have been tagged out during a double play as Cougar second baseman Dana Tennis fielded a grounder, attempted to tag Eaglin and threw to first.
Upon a conference with the home plate umpire, Eaglin was ruled safe and she came home on a Grace Carr single.
Bree Mahoney-Sutherland hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second to give South Putnam the lead for good, and the Eagles put any importance on the first-inning play out of view as they got four runs in the third and three more in the fourth.
Alex Steffy led off the third-inning rally with a single, and Carr followed with a double to send her to third. Brionna Egold then singled to score Steffy, and Carr scored on a Drew Steffy groundout.
Mahoney-Sutherland singled to score Egold, and the Eagles had a 6-1 lead.
North Putnam got a run in the top of the fourth as Chloe LaPierre walked and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Tennis.
Drew Bratcher opened the fourth with a double for the Eagles, and one out later Carr hit a long home run to center field.
That ended LaPierre’s night on the mound, and Bradi Gierke was summoned in relief.
Egold doubled to continue the rally and scored as Mahoney-Sutherland reached on an error.
Runnells hit a long solo home run in the top of the fifth cut the gap to 9-3, and the Cougars added a pair of late runs but couldn’t come all the way back.
Carr had a home run, double and a single for the Eagles, while Egold had a double and a single and Mahoney-Sutherland had a home run and a single.
The Eagles now advance to the sectional championship game on Thursday, where they will meet South Vermillion.
The Wildcats defeated Cloverdale 7-6 in eight innings in Tuesday’s first semifinal game.
North Putnam 100 111 1 — 5
South Putnam 114 300 x — 9
WP — A.Steffy. LP — LaPierre.
Greencastle softball sectional schedule
Monday
South Putnam 3, Greencastle 2
Tuesday
South Vermillion 7, Cloverdale 6 (eight innings)
South Putnam 9, North Putnam 5
Thursday
5:30 p.m. — South Vermillion vs. South Putnam in championship