The New Franklin softball team won the Class 1 District 6 championship 4-3 over Pilot Grove on Friday. To make things even sweeter, it was coach Ross Dowell’s 300th coaching victory.

For two innings it looked as if neither New Franklin nor Pilot Grove Tigers would be able to score any runs. Ace pitchers Brynn Bristle of New Franklin and Marci Lammers of Pilot Grove each held their opponents scoreless. Finally, Pilot Grove was able to break the ice with a run in the top of the third to take a lead.

But that lead would not last. In the bottom of the inning, New Franklin senior Abby Maupin reached base on a walk and stole second. Junior Carly Dorson then drove a hit past the infield that eluded the Tiger right fielder, sending Maupin to third. When the throw got away from the Tiger defense, Maupin dashed home to tie the score at one apiece.

After shutting down Pilot Grove in the top of the fourth, the Lady Bulldogs added two runs in the bottom of the inning when junior Heaven-Lee Hundley and freshman Brooklyn Brown led off with successive walks. Freshman Emersyn Eads laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third. With leadoff hitter Maupin at bat, Hundley scored on a passed ball, and Brown advanced to third. Maupin then put the ball in play to score Brown, making the score 3-1 in favor of the Lady Bulldogs.

 The Tigers would not give up without a fight and came back in the top of the fifth to score two runs of their own to once again tie the score at three.

With only three opportunities left to break the tie, the Lady Bulldogs could not push any runs across in the bottom of the inning, nor could the Tigers in the top of the sixth.

In the bottom of the inning, Hundley struck out to lead off the inning and Brown followed with her second walk of the evening, then stole second. Eads followed with a free pass. Brown and Eads then stole second and third with Maupin at bat. With a two-strike count, Maupin hit a drive to right that plated Brown for the go-ahead run and sent Eads to third. 

Needing just three outs to end the game, Bestle made short work of the first two batters in the top of the seventh, striking out each on four pitches. The next hitter, Pilot Grove senior shortstop Grace Phillips, did not go quietly as she worked the count to one ball and two strikes before fouling off six pitches, then taking ball two. Then on the 10th pitch of her at-bat, Phillips hit a line drive to left field. Hundley made a running catch to secure the district championship.

“This was a tremendous win over a very good Pilot Grove team,” said Dowell. “It was truly a whole team effort. To win a district title with this bunch is really special.”

New Franklin got the win on the virtue of only one hit, the RBI single by Maupin in the sixth. She also notched an RBI with a ground out in the fourth and scored a run. 

Senior Courtesy runner Dakota Clark added two runs while Hundley scored one.

The Lady Bulldogs stole five bases and stranded eight.

Freshman hurler Brynn Belstle struck out 10 Tigers on the night while walking only one and giving up six hits in her seven innings of work. “It was a fun win,” said Bristle. “I was kind of pitter-patting with my heart in the last at-bat, but I knew my left fielder had it down, so it was fine. The whole team did so well tonight, I’m just so proud of everyone.”

As for the 300th win, “it just means I’ve been around for a long time and had some pretty good teams. They’re signing a game ball right now that I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Dowell said.

“Now it’s on to sectionals and try to win state,” said Maupin. To do that the Lady Bulldogs must first take on the St. Elizabeth Lady Hornets today at 5 p.m. The Lady Hornets are 16-7 on the season and are averaging the same 6.7 runs per game as the Lady Bulldogs, but have an edge in the runs-allowed-per-game department, allowing only 3.6 compared to the 4.8 surrendered by New Franklin. On Saturday, the winner of that game will take on the winner of the game between Northeast and Silex, slated to begin at 6 p.m. tonight.