DARLINGTON - The Juda-Albany softball team will not make a return trip to state.
Sixth-ranked Southwestern scored a 4-2 victory over the second-ranked Panthers (22-6) in a WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinal on Wednesday.
Southwestern got three hits and scored three runs after two were out in the first inning off Juda-Albany sophomore ace pitcher Nicki Becker. Southwestern's Katelyn Fritz led off with a single. Southwestern's Allison Kruser delivered an RBI single, and Rachel Myers followed with an RBI double to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead. Rachel Mueller followed with an RBI single to extend the Wildcats' lead to 3-0.
"She (Becker) just wasn't really comfortable with the mound," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said. "It was probably a little bit of nerves. It's the way it goes."
Southwestern pitcher Madison Kuhl limited the Panthers to just three hits and two runs. The Panthers left six runners on base and left the bases loaded in the third.
"The bats went cold at the wrong time of the year," Davis said. "It happens in the major leagues. Unfortunately, for us it was the wrong time."
The Panthers got on the board in the fifth. Juda-Albany junior Alexis Goecks singled and later advanced to third base on an error. Junior Chelsea Burkhalter's sacrifice fly knocked in Goecks to cut the Wildcats' lead to 3-1.
In the sixth, Juda-Albany junior Sara Jordan was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored when the throw from the catcher sailed into center field.
"They played hard," Davis said. "We just didn't get the hits or put the ball in play as much as we have earlier in the year. We struggled hitting the last couple of games."
Sixth-ranked Southwestern scored a 4-2 victory over the second-ranked Panthers (22-6) in a WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinal on Wednesday.
Southwestern got three hits and scored three runs after two were out in the first inning off Juda-Albany sophomore ace pitcher Nicki Becker. Southwestern's Katelyn Fritz led off with a single. Southwestern's Allison Kruser delivered an RBI single, and Rachel Myers followed with an RBI double to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead. Rachel Mueller followed with an RBI single to extend the Wildcats' lead to 3-0.
"She (Becker) just wasn't really comfortable with the mound," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said. "It was probably a little bit of nerves. It's the way it goes."
Southwestern pitcher Madison Kuhl limited the Panthers to just three hits and two runs. The Panthers left six runners on base and left the bases loaded in the third.
"The bats went cold at the wrong time of the year," Davis said. "It happens in the major leagues. Unfortunately, for us it was the wrong time."
The Panthers got on the board in the fifth. Juda-Albany junior Alexis Goecks singled and later advanced to third base on an error. Junior Chelsea Burkhalter's sacrifice fly knocked in Goecks to cut the Wildcats' lead to 3-1.
In the sixth, Juda-Albany junior Sara Jordan was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored when the throw from the catcher sailed into center field.
"They played hard," Davis said. "We just didn't get the hits or put the ball in play as much as we have earlier in the year. We struggled hitting the last couple of games."
