Prep Softball: High Five

In the post season, not many teams have been better of late than the Galatia-Thompsonville softball team, who have won four straight.

Hit hard by graduation this year, the deck was stacked against the Bearcats and even more so in the Class 1A Regional, paired up against a Crab Orchard team, who not only won the Greater Egyptian Conference, but beat Galatia-Thompsonville twice.

Until Saturday.

The Bearcats trailed only once, only had three hits, but managed to pull of a 6-5 thriller giving head coach Kevin Lewis his fifth straight title.

"The kids played their guts out, Lewis said. Of all the past regionals we have won, this one was the toughest one to win. It seems like Crab has had our number all year and short-gamed us last time out. It wasn't pretty by any means, but the girls did what they had to do to get the win."

Kennedy Harris, Elizabeth Sloan and Kylee Brown had the three hits for the Bearcats, but G-T took full advantage of nine walks and one hit batter.

Lewis credited his bunch with running the bases well and getting down the timely bunt when his team had too.

"We had some very key squeeze bunts that without them, we probably don't win the ball game."

Dani Reynolds got the win in the circle, holding the Trojans at bay as she went the distance, striking out three and walking three. Reynolds allowed five runs (two earned) on five hit.

This is the second group to have won four regionals for Lewis and company and this particular group of seniors won three regionals at the junior high level, upping the ante to seven total.

Galatia-Thompsonville will now play in the Goreville Sectional, taking on Dongola on Tuesday night at 7 p.m.