Lady Cats snap long losing skid with sweep

By Andy Brown
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Updated: April 25, 2016

Louisburg junior Emalee Overbay makes contact with a pitch during the Lady Cats’ doubleheader Thursday against Osawatomie at Lewis-Young Park. Louisburg defeated Osawatomie 12-2 and 11-10 to snap its 33-game losing streak.

It has been a long 33 games for the Louisburg High School softball team.

The last 33 times the Lady Cats took the field, they left with some sort of disappointment and a loss. It was never easy.

Now, the Lady Cats can put that all behind them. In fact, Louisburg has a different kind of streak going.

Louisburg pulled off a sweep of Osawatomie on Thursday at Lewis-Young Park with a pair of 12-2 and 11-10 victories that snapped a 33-game losing skid and has since started a mini winning streak.

“Our wins against Osawatomie were an important step for the girls this season,” Louisburg coach John Ozier said. “They have worked so hard in practice and have battled their hearts out, with what appeared to be nothing to show for it. This team has overcome a lot this year with major injuries to one of our senior leaders (Christina Dalrymple) and now losing our back up varsity pitcher (Kelsey Higginbotham) for the season.”

The Lady Cats (2-10) had everything working for them offensively in the doubleheader and used their bats to jump out to a quick lead in the opener.

Senior Miranda White slides safely into home during Thursday’s doubleheader opener against Osawatomie.

Louisburg found itself down 1-0 after the top of the first, but it went on to score three runs in the first, four in the fourth and four more in the sixth to complete the run-rule win.

Junior Emalee Overbay and freshman Karson Griggs gave the Lady Cats a big lead early with the long ball as each hit a 3-run home run to eventually put Louisburg up 7-2 after four innings. Griggs led the Lady Cats with 4 RBIs in the game, while Overbay added three hits, including a pair of doubles to go along with her home run.

Senior Miranda White also had a good game offensively with three hits and scored three times. Junior Hailey Crowder had a pair of hits and 2 RBIs and senior Paige Shaffer added a two-run single that iced the game in the sixth inning.

“One of the most frustrating parts of our early season losses was the inability to get the key hit with runners in scoring position,” Ozier said. “The home runs by Karson and Emalee really ignited our offense and got everyone charged up. Miranda has been tough on the opposition in the leadoff position and exerts constant pressure on the defense with her base running.”

Junior Allyssa Griggs, who added a pair of hits and an RBI herself, got the win for the Lady Cats as she pitched a complete game. Griggs pitched six innings and gave up just one earned run and had six strikeouts.

“I can’t say enough about how Allyssa has battled on the mound this season,” Ozier said. “She has unselfishly pitched extra innings to help this team stay in some games and never fails to answer the bell.”

The nightcap saw several younger players step up early to help the Lady Cats.

Freshman Bailey Sarna got the start for Louisburg and pitched four innings and held Osawatomie to five earned runs in place of Higginbotham, who was injured before the start of the doubleheader. Allyssa Griggs pitched the final three innings to get the win.

Louisburg had a comfortable 9-3 lead going into the fifth inning, but Osawatomie exploded for seven runs to take a one-run lead.

The Lady Cats didn’t back down as Shaffer had an RBI groundout to tie the game in the sixth. Then in the seventh, Allyssa Griggs helped her own cause as she had an RBI single to score White to win the game in walk-off fashion.

Freshman Molly Rison had a big game at the plate as she was 4 for 4, with a pair of doubles and four RBIs. Another freshman, Karson Griggs, also had three hits, as did Overbay.

White, who also had an RBI single, scored three runs and Katie Baker added an RBI double.

Louisburg will try and continue its winning ways Tuesday when it travels to De Soto for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Lady Cats lose two close games to Baldwin

With one swing of the bat, junior Allyssa Griggs nearly pulled off what would have been an epic comeback for the Louisburg softball team last Tuesday against Baldwin.

Griggs came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh with the Lady Cats down four runs. She swung and sent a ball to deep right field – a home run would have tied the game – but it came up just short and hit the fence for a 3-run double.

Griggs, the tying run, was stranded on second and Baldwin left Louisburg with a 7-6 victory. Baldwin completed the sweep in the nightcap with an 11-8 victory over the Lady Cats.

Freshman first baseman Molly Rison looks to make a catch a double a runner off first Tuesday against Baldwin in Louisburg.

In the opener, the Lady Cats trailed 4-0, but scored three runs in the sixth to cut into the Baldwin lead.

Freshman Kennia Hankinson scored on a single by Griggs and Emalee Overbay singled and later scored on a passed ball. Freshman Karson Griggs then doubled home pinch runner Tomi Frederes to make it 4-3.

Baldwin quickly answered in the seventh with three runs of its own, which set up a dramatic final inning for Louisburg.

With two outs, senior Miranda White and Overbay walked and Hankinson singled to load the bases for Allyssa Griggs, who would clear them with the double before being stranded at second.

Allyssa led the Lady Cats with four RBIs, while Hankinson had a pair of hits to lead the Louisburg bats.

Louisburg jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first inning, but could not hold on as Baldwin scored their 11 runs over the final four innings.

White led the Louisburg offense with three hits and an RBI single. Senior Paige Shaffer added two RBIs in the loss, while Allyssa, Karson, and Hailey Crowder had run-scoring hits as well.