HS Softball: Independence bats explode to roll past Shady Spring

Independence and Shady Spring have waged some classic battles during the postseason on the softball diamond.

Friday night at Larry "Tom" Poe Field, the latest clash between the Raleigh County rivals did not fit that criteria.

The game ended in uncharacteristic fashion.

Exploding for seven runs in the second inning, the home-standing Patriots rolled past the Tigers 15-2 in five innings.

The win advances Independence into the AAA Region 3, Section 1 championship game. Shady Spring will now play PikeView in an elimination game Saturday at 6 p.m.

The winner between the Panthers and the Tigers will meet the Patriots Monday evening in Coal City.

Shady Spring (15-11) and Independence (22-8) split the two regular season meetings, but the final game prior to Thursday went to the Tigers on the very same field.

"You love when you win these games, but your sick when you don't," Independence head coach Ken Adkins said. "I have been suffering from that last beating we took from them since they gave it to us (just over two weeks ago)."

Adkins's sore received a little salt in the wound when the visitors took a quick lead on a two-run bomb by Jenna Joyce to straight away centerfield.

The anxiety increased in the bottom the first inning after the Patriots failed to score more runs with the bases loaded and just one out.

The Tigers led 2-1 after the first frame.

"We go out there and missed a spot in the first, right off the bat, and gave up bomb," Adkins lamented. "I was thinking here we go. We had base runners and didn't score in the first inning. I was a little disappointed we didn't do better with that."

The disappointment did not linger as the lethal Indy bats started finding gaps, making the early deficit a distant memory.

"If you go back to the beginning of the season where we won eight or nine games to start the season. The thing we did well was, our bottom part of the order got on," Adkins explained. "It doesn't take a genius to look at my stats and see, if you give my top (half of the order) more opportunities, we are going to get you."

While it took both halves of the order one at-bat to get rolling, the second time through the order basically decided the game.

Ava Parks doubled with two-outs, followed by a walk to Emma Lilly. Bella Lilly singled home Parks to tie the game, but Shady Spring had a chance to end the inning on the next batter.

"It was either, they hit the gap, or we had mental errors tonight," Shady Spring head coach Nikki Mays said. "We just didn't come to play. When you are not hitting and not making plays, it's not going to go your way. With softball, you never know who is going to be on."

A mental error on a dropped third strike allowed Paytin Brehm to reach, loading the bases for the Patriots.

Handed an extra out, Independence took full advantage.

Savannah Stanley was hit by a pitch for a 4-2 lead, but the home team was far from done. Emma Simpson and Acasia Cook ripped back-to-back two-run doubles for a 8-2 lead.

While Simpson carried some big expectations coming into high school, Cook's senior campaign has been a breakout year for her.

"Whatever clicked, Acasia decided to put a little effort into it (this year). She has put in the time," Adkins said. "This is just a different group of kids. Emma Simpson is a special kind of player if you can get her all in line."

While the bats were exploding, Brehm was hosing down the Tiger hitters allowing just one hit over final four innings in the circle.

"Just throw it ans spin it. I know they adjust. They are a good hitting team, so you can't let pitches hang," Brehm said. "You have to spin it and it has to be a strike. You have to be smart about it. That was what I tried to do. I was really excited to play. I have been waiting for sectionals all week."

An inning later, Independence slammed the door by putting up five more runs. Again, most of the damage came with two outs.

Emma Lilly doubled home Kassidy Bradbury who walked to start the at-bat prior to a scoring on a single from Brehm.

A double from Simpson and a single from Cook pushed the lead to 13-2 before Shady could escape the inning.

"It was a good game today. We didn't chase pitches out of the zone. When we don't do that, we are going to pound it," Adkins said. "When we don't swing at bad pitches, we probably average 15 or 16 runs per game and a bunch of hits. Better plate discipline was the only difference today. Paytin did a little better job today hitting spots and that helps a bunch."

Simpson, batting seventh, ended the night with two doubles and three RBI, while Cook, hitting eighth, had two hits, including a double and four RBI.

Emma Lilly had a double, a triple, driving in three runs. Bella Lilly had two hits and two RBI.

Now the Patriots play the waiting game.

"Monday will be a completely different day," Adkins said. "You just have to make sure the potion has the right mixture and you get the same thing. It never goes like you plan it."