Lady Titans Softball Earns A Win Like No Other
The Harrodsburg Herald/Samuel Warren
Lily Hart (center) and the Lady Titans were overcome with joy after claiming the programs first ever 12th Region championship.
Samuel Warren
Herald Staff
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The 2024 Mercer County Lady Titans softball team (18-9) accomplished something no other group of Titans ever has on Friday, May 31, when they defeated Pulaski County (30-7) 4-3 in the 12th Region championship game.
Mercer opened the tournament with a 1-0 win over Casey County on Tuesday, and were matched with Garrard County in the semifinal after the Lady Lions defeated Southwestern, 2-1. Mercer County continued making great contact at the plate and unlike their matchup with Casey, the hits finally started landing in gaps. The Lady Titans earned eight hits in the 11-0 victory over Garrard. Seniors Hanna Beasley, Peyton Boyd and Haylee Ransdell led their team at the plate and each earned a run and two RBIs, while Ashley Howard continued her amazing performances in the circle. Howard earned seven strikeouts and allowed zero hits over five innings. In the 11 days and five games that spanned the 46th District tournament and 12th Region tournament, Howard never left the circle, throwing 424 pitches while allowing only 16 hits and four earned runs.
“If I had to explain Ashley’s run to someone that didn’t know anything about the sport I would say it would be like a triple double in five straight basketball games,” said Head Coach Darren Ransdell. “To say the least it’s been impressive.”
Howard and the Lady Titans were confident ahead of their matchup with the top ranked team in the 12th Region after picking up their biggest win since March 28 when they beat Garrard.
Designated hitter Jaley Bowman led off for Mercer in the bottom of the first inning and singled to right field before advancing to second on a sac bunt by Lily Hart. Pulaski County starlet Brooklyn Thomas has been leading the Lady Maroons in the circle while also batting .541; the sophomore struck out the next two Lady Titan batters to end Mercer’s hopes of an early lead. Howard and Thomas each struck out two batters in the second inning, and the game remained scoreless until the top of the third, when Thomas blasted a solo shot well over the right field wall, her ninth of the season.
It didn’t take long for the Lady Titans to respond in a big way. Jayla Sanders maintained her composure and walked after seven pitches, and one pitch later Bowman delivered her second single of the game. Moments later, Ava Musick walked and loaded the bases. Thomas struck out her second batter of the inning in Howard, but could do nothing to prevent what happened next. Boyd battled with Thomas, and fouled five times over eleven pitches before making the most important play of her life. Boyd slapped the next pitch out of the park. The grand slam flew over the center field wall, giving the Lady Titans a 4-1 lead that they would never lose.
