For most softball programs, a seven year gap between region titles hardly qualifies as a drought.
Scott County High School is not most programs.
For a school that won all but one 11th Region title from 2012-2018, it was a lengthy drought indeed.
On Thursday night, Scott County defeated Great Crossing 5-2 in the 11th Region Final to clinch their first state tournament since 2018.
“I’m just so proud of the work these girls have put in,” Cardinals coach Mike Wagoner said. “We started out hot this year, and I was worried that would fizzle out but the girls kept digging in and digging in and got even better than how they were playing at the beginning of the year.”
The victory over cross-town foes and former youth league teammates was extra sweet.
“We said back whenever we played them the first time, that’s not the last time we will see them,” Scott County’s ace, Ada Little, said. “Luckily enough, it was in the final. I think that made all of us more exited and ready to bring everything.”
The Cardinals struck quickly, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second after a single and an error allowed Aubrey Wigginton and Hadley Swint to reach.
Brenna Parker sat down the dangerous duo of Little and Lauren Jones with strikeouts looking to put two outs on the board, Makiah Jackson singled on a ground ball to shortstop to load the bases.
Katy Stevens followed with a two-run single to score Swint and Wigginton and put the Cards up 2-0.
From that point, Brenna Parker and Little traded zeroes until the fifth inning.
Wigginton and Swint led off with back-to-back singles before Jones
Slammed a fly ball to center for three-run bomb, what would be the winning runs in the game, staking Little and the Cardinals defense a 5-0 lead.
“I was just thinking: get a base hit every time,” Jones said.
Jones’ home run would be the difference in the game.
In the bottom of the inning, Little struck out the first two batters she faced before Molly Parker and Aubrey Green drew walks, and a hit by pitch loaded the bases.
Up next was none but senior Emma Sutton, who hit a walk-off three-run home run against Lafayette the night before.
Sutton, in her final at-bat in high school, deposited a pitch from Little into left field to score two runs. A lineout to Jones ended the inning and limited the damage. Sutton’s single was the only hit against Little all night, and a walk from Green in the seventh was the final baserunner for the Warhawks.
While the Cardinal’s experienced upperclassmen led the way, the final out went to Swint, still a freshman, who raced over toward the right field line to snag a sinking liner and kick off the celebrations.
Little had less swing-and-misses than normally, striking out seven Warhawks. The Cards defense performed ably, with an error free performance, allowing just one hit.
“I trust the defense, and they played phenomenally out there today,” Little said.
Warhawks Coach Heath Sutton, gracious in defeat, marveled at the talent level in the county.
“What would it be if these schools hadn’t split? There is still enough talent on these teams to field two more teams,” Sutton said. “At the end of the day we are one team … I’ve coached a lot of them on that team over the years … I’m happy for them.”
Great Crossing ends their season at 17-12 after winning their fifth consecutive 41st District title.
The Warhawks had a wild route to the region final, scoring five runs in the sixth inning of the quarterfinal and walking-off Lafayette in the semifinal to reach the championship game.
Emma Sutton, Parker, and Mara Livingston were named to the all-tournament team for Great Crossing.
Wigginton, Jackson, Jones, and Little were named to the all-tournament team for Scott County. Little took Most Valuable Player honors.
For Parker, Sutton, Kymberlin Masino, Green, and Ashtyn Holbrok, the region final was their final game wearing a Warhawks jersey.
The Cardinals now turn their attention to the state tournament.
South Warren dealt Scott County their worst loss of the season, 14-1 on April 26. Should both teams win twice, those teams would meet in the state semifinal.
First up for the Cardinals is Bullitt East, who Scott County beat 1-0 in eight innings on April 17, on an RBI single from Maddie Skibo.
The matchup is the late game on Thursday, starting no earlier than 8:30 p.m. on Thursday at John Cropp Stadium at the University of Kentucky.
Should the Cardinals win, they would face either Rowan County or Boyle County.
The dominant run through the region tournament showcases his team’s fight, Wagoner said.
“They fight. They’ve played with a chip on their shoulder over the course of the season, and I hope they don’t lose it in the next couple weeks,” Wagoner said.
The Region run came after a surprising loss to Frederick Douglass in the 42nd District final. The loss seemed to have spurred the
Softball seems to be marked by none of the animosity that other county sports sometimes spark.
“I hope they bring that trophy back to Georgetown,” Sutton said.