Henry County’s softball season came to an end with a 5-2 loss to North Oldham in the Eighth Region Tournament quarterfinals at home on Sunday, May 25.

The Lady Cats battled to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the Lady Mustangs regained control in the final two innings to advance to the semifinals.

Both defenses played tough throughout the game to limit hits and scoring opportunities.

Henry County held North Oldham to a single in the top of the first, and the Lady Mustangs caught two decent looks in right field to hold the Lady Cats off the board in the bottom of the inning.

North Oldham found some offensive success in the top of the second inning to take the lead, though.

After a single and a walk put two runners on base, the Lady Mustangs utilized a fielding error on a ground ball to bring in Jessalyn Travis for the initial run of the game.

Sophia Lay recovered with back-to-back strikeouts to keep the lead at 1-0 heading into the bottom of the second.

North Oldham’s pitcher, junior Kadie Bosemer, brought tough pressure in the circle as well and struck out two of her three batters faced in just 11 pitches in the bottom of the frame.

Both squads were contained offensively across the next two innings, with three of the four combined trips to the plate ending in three up, three down showings.

North Oldham secured the only base runners in that stretch during the top of the third.

Following a leadoff walk, Henry County caught Palmer White stealing second before Campbell White sent a double deep into left field.

Henry County held off the attack with a strikeout and ground out, leaving White stranded at second.

Bosemer, who ended the game with 13 total strikeouts, earned five straight strikeouts across the third and fourth innings to limit the Lady Cat offense.

After two scoreless innings, North Oldham got back onto the scoreboard in the top of the fifth.

Tannis Berry and Bosemer used consecutive singles to put two runners aboard within the first two batters, and both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt to move the Lady Mustangs into scoring position.

During the following play, Berry came across home on a sacrifice fly to push North Oldham’s lead to 2-0.

The Lady Cats bounced back in the bottom of the fifth and capitalized on an error by North Oldham to tie the game at 2-2.

Lay led off with a single and Kennadie Hamby drew a walk to put runners on first and second early in the inning. With Autumn Shea at the plate, an error at third base by the Lady Mustangs allowed courtesy runner Kerragan Bowles and Hamby to score and even the game.

North Oldham surrendered another walk shortly after before closing out the inning with a strikeout.

The Lady Mustangs got back into an offensive rhythm in the top of the sixth inning, using a walk and back-to-back singles to load the bases.

With three runners aboard, Berry drew a walk to bring in Travis and give North Oldham a 3-2 edge.

Henry County responded with a huge double play to stifle the Lady Mustang attack and keep the margin at one.

Micah MaGruder was hit by a pitch and Lay hit a single to center field to give the Lady Cats a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the frame.

However, Bosemer came up with a clutch strikeout to leave both runners stranded and preserve North Oldham’s lead going into the final inning.

The Lady Mustangs put the game further out of reach in the top of the seventh with an RBI double near the center field wall by Nadia Leber.

Her hit sent Palmer White home to bring the lead out to two, and Travis added an RBI single to center field two plays later to extend the margin to 5-2.

Following a strong offensive inning, the Lady Mustang defense held Henry County to a three up, three down bottom of the seventh to seal their victory.

Lay led Henry County at the plate with two hits, while Hamby and Bowles scored a run each.

Lay also recorded four strikeouts in a complete game in the circle.

With the loss, the Lady Cats close out the season with an 18-10 record.