SULLIVAN, Mo. — The Bowling Green Lady ‘Cats softball team fell to the Sullivan Eagles in the Class 3 State Semi-Final, ending their 2020 season with 19 wins and 8 losses. Bowling Green was defeated 4-1 in seven innings by a tough Sullivan offense and pitching staff.

Bowling Green lost the coin flip, making them the away team on a turfed infield at Sullivan High School’s baseball and softball complex.

Inning one looked promising for the red and black as lead-off batter Kennedy Grimsley was issued a walk to start the game. Meredyth Betts laid down a sacrifice bunt, advancing Grimsley into scoring position at second base. Senior first baseman Jade Meier hit a hard groundball up the middle for a single and Grimsley was thrown out at home on the play. The ‘Cats stranded runners on second and third in the first inning, scoring no runs.

Sullivan jumped on top in the bottom of the first inning, scoring one run on two hits off Bowling Green’s ace Tanner Turner. Using the turf home field to their advantage, Sullivan found holes in Bowling Green’s defense.

Hanna Johanning, starting pitcher for the Eagles, was plagued with walks and often struggled to find the strike zone at times. Bowling Green’ offense failed to capitalize on the six base on balls issued by Johanning throughout her five innings of work.

Breaking up Johanning’s one hitter in the sixth inning was senior Haylee Chandler. Chandler hit a line drive single to center advancing Tanner Turner to first base. Down by three, Bowling Green finally squeezed a run across the plate. Ending Johanning’s shut out, was Turner as she scored on a passed ball. Jaedin Blankenship was brought in to relieve Johanning in the circle, shutting down Bowling Green’s rally, stranding pinch runner Brinley Sparks at third base to end the inning.

Sullivan added one run to their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning taking advantage of their experience on a turf infield, placing slow rollers in various locations across the field.

Down 4-1 with three outs left to play in the ball game, Bowling Green looked to senior Mckenna Orf to lead-off the last inning of play. Orf hit a hard ground ball back to the pitcher for the first of the last three outs of the game. Grimsley also hit a ground ball back to Blankenship, bringing Meredyth Betts to the plate. Betts hit a line drive double in attempt to kickstart a two out rally and another come from behind win for Bowling Green. Meier, a hero in Thursday’s walk off win against Perryville, had the chance to extend the game with two outs in the seventh inning. A deadly curveball from Blankenship had Meier chasing, and the final out of the game was recorded as a swinging strikeout.

Bowling Green ties for third place in the state as MSHSAA is only hosting championship contents in the final week of October. The Lady ‘Cats finished the 2020 season as undefeated EMO conference champions, Class 3 District 2 champions, and final four contestants for the third time in four years.