For the 10th consecutive season, the McCracken County Lady Mustangs claimed the Second District on Tuesday night in the title matchup against the Paducah Tilghman Lady Blue Tornado. The Lady Mustangs shut down the Blue Tornado in five innings in a 12-0 finish.
“It meant a lot to win another district title, especially since it will be my last one as a Mustang. Our coaches have coached us very well and prepared us mentally and physically throughout this season to lead us to this point,” McCracken County senior KG Walker said. “We knew coming into this game that the Lady Tornado would bring their best, so we all worked very hard throughout the week.”
The Lady Mustangs collected 12 hits in the contest, with home runs from Walker and Cami Cox to keep McCracken County ahead against Paducah Tilghman. Walker went 2-for-3, Cox went 2-for-2, Raygan Rodgers went 2-for-3, and Addley Leidecker went 2-for-3. Ellie Shoulders, Grace Henderson, McKenzie O’Brien, and Macy Butler collected a hit.
“Our lineup, top to bottom performed amazing, and so did our defense. Addley [Leidecker] and Anna Kate [Hawes] shut their scoring down and did their jobs, making it easier for us hitters to relax at the plate,” Walker said. “Going up to the plate, that last at-bat, I knew I needed to do my job and score these runs. I waited for my perfect pitch, knowing I had to jump on it. Hitting a home run in my last-ever district championship and scoring those runs will be a memory I’ll never forget. Now we switch our mindsets to regionals and just ask, who’s next?”
Leidecker earned the win for McCracken County. She worked three innings in the pitching circle, allowing five hits and zero runs. Hawes appeared in relief for the Mustangs, working two innings with two hits and one walk.
The Lady Mustangs jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning as Raygan Rodgers scored on an infield error. However, Paducah Tilghman eliminated the Mustang threat with runners in scoring position.
The score moved to 4-0 in the bottom of the second inning as Cox knocked an inside-the-park home run to center field, scoring O’Brien and Kalynn Cunningham. With a walk and a single by Raygan Rodgers, the lead extended to 6-0 as Walker singled to left field. Two more runs came courtesy of an RBI double by Leidecker and a sacrifice fly by Savannah McDowell.
McCracken County continued to push in the third inning with an RBI single by Shoulders. Walker’s home run put the Lady Mustangs up 12-0, and the score would hold until the final out.
Paducah Tilghman’s offense collected seven hits in the loss. Audreya White and Mia Bobbitt went 2-for-3. Adrienne Romain, Hailey Mooney, and Zoe Burch collected hits for the Blue Tornado.
Romain took the loss in the pitching circle for Paducah Tilghman. She worked over an inning, allowing five hits and four runs (three earned). Mia Bobbitt and Sophie Key appeared in relief of Romain.
Bobbitt worked an inning, allowing seven hits, eight runs (earned), and one walk. Key closed out the game, walking two.
ALL DISTRICT TOURNAMENT TEAM
McCracken County — KG Walker, Ellie Shoulders, Raygan Rodgers, McKenzie O’Brien, Addley Leidecker
Paducah Tilghman — Kaiden Rodgers, Audreya White, Mia Bobbitt
Community Christian Academy — Ava Knight, Alyssa Knight
MCCRACKEN COUNTY 12, PADUCAH TILGHMAN 0
PTHS 0 0 0 0 0 X X — 0-7-2
MCHS 1 7 4 0 X X X — 12-12-1
WP: A. Leidecker; LP: A. Romain
2B: MCHS — A. Leidecker, M. O’Brien
HR: MCHS — C. Cox, K. Walker
TB: PTHS — A. White 2, M. Bobbitt 2, A. Romain 1, H. Mooney 1, Z. Burch 1; MCHS — C. Cox 5, K. Walker 5, A. Leidecker 3, M. O’Brien 2, R. Rodgers 2, E. Shoulders 1, G. Henderson 1, M. Butler 1
SF: MCHS — S. McDowell
SB: MCHS — K. Dowdy 2, R. Rodgers