Congratulations to the Page County High School girl’s softball team on winning 2016 Regional Title! They went on to lose to Lebanon High School, 3-1 in the state semifinal game in Salem on Friday June 10, 2016. The below article was found in the Saturday June 11th edition of the Daily News Record.
Late Rally Sinks Page
Panthers Lose to Lebanon, 3-1
By BILL MEADE Special Correspondent
SALEM Lebanon High School used a seventh-inning rally to end Page County's two-year reign as 2A state softball champions on Friday, defeating the Panthers 3-1 to advance to today's 2A state final against Central.
The back-to-back state champs were clinging to a 1-0 lead heading into the final inning at Salem's Moyer Complex thanks to a solo home run off the bat of James Madison-bound Kate Gordon.
But the underdog Pioneers scratched out three runs on clutch hitting and a couple of uncharacteristic Page miscues to vault into the lead. Then junior Hannah Morrison closed the door on the Panthers hopes for a three straight titles, retiring the Panthers in order in the bottom of the seventh.
That last inning was such a relief and there was a lot of excitement going to the state final, Morrison said. I was just trying to get them to hit to our defense.
The Pioneers (16-8), the 2A West Region runners-up, dodged numerous Page chances to break the game open.
Our conference is so tough, there are no easy games, said victorious head coach Sheila Adams, who has guided the Pioneers since 1995 after winning a state championship with Honaker High School. Hannah [Morrison] has the ability to move the ball around, works hard, and not a lot bothers her.
It was a case of missed opportunities for Page County, which stranded nine baserunners.
We had a ton of opportunities, said PCHS veteran head coach Alan Knight, whose team won the 2A Region East title last week.
Gordon, who started the bottom of the first with a deep double in the gap, was left stranded at third as the Panthers couldn't score after loading the bases.
The Page senior left no doubt in the third, ripping a Morrison pitch over the left-field fence.
But that run would prove to be the only dent in the Lebanon armor as Morrison struck out six for the game and settled down the rest of the way.
The Panthers stranded six more runners.
Page freshman starting pitcher Sabrina Foltz didn't allow a walk, struck out two and scattered six hits. But Lebanon put three of those hits together in the top of the seventh, coming from behind to claim the win.
Gordon and Foltz led the Panthers with a pair of hits each.
I had a good career here, Gordon said. We overcame a lot of adversity this season and I'm proud of where we got to this year.
Lebanon 000 000 3 3 6 2
Page Co. 001 000 0 1 6 2
Morrison and Dye. Foltz and Campbell. W Morrison. L Foltz. HR Gordon (PC) 3rd, none on.
