Lady Cats Win 2016 District 12 Championship In 9 Innings

The 2016 District 12 Champions.

Edmonson Voice Sports
The Lady Cats have had some really good softball teams over the last decade but most fans remember the great ones, those that have brought home the hardware to Brownsville, like the 2006 and 2013 team. Thanks to a win over Grayson County Friday night in the District 12 Finals at Whitesville Trinity, some will argue that the 2016 team has now transitioned from a good team to a great one.

"I've always said that good teams get talked about, but great teams get remembered, and this one will be remembered," Head Coach Jeremy Garmon said.

With the score tied 3-3 going into the 9th, senior Kayla Whittington smacked a double to put the go ahead run in scoring position. Catcher Rebecca Massey connected for a base hit to drive in Whittington. The Lady Cats put another run on the board as Alexis Whitfill drove in an insurance run with a base hit.

The Lady Cat defense held the Lady Cougars in the ninth and won 5-3.

Coach Garmon was asked how difficult it was to bring home a district championship, especially since this was his first year as head coach for the Lady Cats.

"It's their team, I just steer the ship," he said.  "We knew coming in we had a chance to be special.  Our goal all year has been to beat Grayson in the district finals.  These girls had a major let down in the first round last year and even though I wasn't here, I felt it was my job to help erase that memory.  I love this team and am very fortunate to have inherited such a wonderful group in my first season.  They had no reason to trust me.  I had never coached a varsity fast-pitch game until this season.  It shows what kind of ladies that they are-- that they could handle a first year coach. That was probably a little different from the norm, but they trusted me."

Although people remember the plays that change the score, it's the ones that don't always make headlines that are usually the game changers. Megan Dockery's triple in the fourth inning followed by Carsan Logsdon's double put the first run on the board for the Lady Cats. That was a momentum shifter that put the charge in the Lady Cats that would keep them going until the last out in the 9th.

Garmon also credited other plays like Massey's throw down to third that picked off a Grayson County runner and extremely solid defense by Jhonna Basil, Dockery, and Whittington. 

Rachael Duncan pitched all 9 innings and began to wear down in the 8th. "They hit some pitches hard off Rachael, but they were hit right at some of our girls. Seems like when we needed a play, they made it," Garmon said.

Duncan allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 10 hits, and struck out 8 while only walking one. The game was her 20th win of the season.

Helping the offense was Caitlin Simon going 3-5 and 1 RBI, Cierra Woodcock 1-2, Kayla Whittington 3-5, Dockery was 2-5 and a walk, Massey 1-5 (go ahead RBI), Carsan Logsdon 2-4, 1 RBI, and Alex Whitfill went 1-5 with an RBI.

The Lady Cats are now 23-11 on the season and will play Meade County in the first round of the Region 3 Tournament at 10:00 at Shifley Park in Owensboro. 

Garmon said he was still on top of the mountain late into Friday night, but he and his team will level out, using this as momentum into the Regional Tournament. "I tell them no matter what: don't get to high and don't get to low.  We discussed all year that district games were the ones that mattered-- especially the tournament.  Everything we do builds, then gets us ready for that goal.  They stuck to the plan.  After every loss they came back ready to get better." ​