Central, E’town softball advance to district final | Sports

Central Hardin softball was the first 17th District team to punch its ticket to the district tournament title game Tuesday evening.

Taking on John Hardin at North Hardin High School, the Lady Bruins did not give up a run on the way to a 14-0, five-inning win over the Lady Bulldogs.

Alyssa Gent, Breanna Burba, Lilly Padgett and Allie Link had two runs each for Central Hardin. Madyson Jones, Lylnee Britain, Carlee Perry, Adison Carter, Jenna Smith and Kennedy Taylor each had one run.

Gent had two hits. Britain, Perry, Carter, Smith, Payton Campbell and Avery Strader followed with one each.

Perry, Carter and Strader each had two RBIs. Gent and Campbell both had one RBI each.

Smith was the Lady Bruins’ starting pitcher, striking out three and holding John Hardin hitless across the first two innings. Emma Watkins relieved Smith and added four strikeouts, one hit from Hailey Wiley and one walk in three innings.

Lillian Wiley was in the circle for the Lady Bulldogs and allowed eight hits, 14 runs and six walks over the game’s entirety.

Central Hardin (27-8) will face Elizabethtown in the 17th District Tournament final at 6 p.m. tonight. The game will be played at the Elizabethtown Sports Park. Tuesday’s win also secured Central Hardin a spot in the upcoming 5th Region Tournament.

The loss brought John Hardin’s season to a close with a 10-27 record.

ELIZABETHTOWN 9, NORTH HARDIN 0. The Lady Panthers followed up with a semifinal shutout of their own over the host Lady Trojans Tuesday evening.

Natalie Shaw had three hits for Elizabethtown. Hannah Riley added two hits. Taytum Spiers, Alyssa Philpot, Kylie McKinney and Emil Schmidt each had one.

Shaw and Schmidt both had two RBIs. Spiers, Riley and Avery Simpson followed with one RBI each.

In the circle, McKinney got it started for the Lady Panthers, striking out six and limiting North Hardin to one hit and two walks in four innings. Heidi Tipton followed for 1.2 innings and added two strikeouts. Up next was Spiers, who had three strikeouts and one hit in 1.1 innings.

Rachel Ritchie and Elizabeth Latham each had one hit for the Lady Trojans.

Lillian Jones pitched 2.1 innings, striking out one and giving up five hits, seven runs and two walks over 2.1 innings. Sydnee Adkisson relieved Jones and added another two strikeouts, four hits, two runs and two walks in 3.2 innings.

Elizabethtown (26-8) heads to the Elizabethtown Sports Park to take on Central Hardin in the 17th District Tournament final at 6 p.m. tonight. The Lady Panthers also earned a spot in the upcoming 5th Region Tournament.

With the loss, North Hardin’s final record stood at 9-17.

link