Amber Robson claimed that she was in a bit of a slump, but for the optimist, that’s just a negative way of saying that you’re due. Madison County needed a big hit from Robson as they trailed Page County in the Region B semifinals in the fifth inning. Not only did Robson come through with a game tying two run single, but in the next at bat, Anna Kelliher cranked a 2-run single of her own to put the Mountaineers in front for the first time all night.
“They come out hitting and never give up,” said Madison coach Jesse Yowell of his team. “They haven’t died all year no matter how far behind we’ve been. I’ve never seen them hang their heads.”
That’s all that Jordan Aylor needed. The senior pitched shook off a tough first inning, and an error-ridden third to finish strong in the circle. Although the Panthers were able to make it a 1-run contest in the sixth, Aylor retired all three batters in the top of the seventh, with two strikeouts sandwiched between a ground out to short. And so for the first time since 1995, Madison is headed to the Group A tournament thanks to the 7-6 victory.
“They wanted this badly,” Yowell said. “Page has knocked us out several years from states but they said we’re not going to let that happen this time. The first innings, it was like ‘uh-oh,’ but you can’t ever give up.”
It was a rough start for the Mountaineers as the Panthers piled up four runs to open up the game in the first thanks to a 3-run homerun from Kaitlyn Morris and an RBI single from Kory Jenkins.
Madison responded in the bottom of the first to cut the deficit in half after Casey Racer reached base on an error, Megan Clark singled and Aylor drove in both runners on a hard hit double. With Page going down in order in the top of the second, the Mountaineers crept to within one run thanks to a pair of singles from Lauren Seale and Karri Carpenter, a ground out from Timberly Deane and an RBI groundout from Amanda Whitaker.
Unfortunately for Madison, Page was able to pad its lead with an unearned run on an error, single from Kayla Dean, a fielders choice, and then an error that scored Dean on a ball hit by Jenkins.
With nine outs between them and elimination, the Mountaineers got their big inning in the fifth thanks to a leadoff hit from Whitaker followed by a single from Racer. A sacrifice bunt from Clark put both runners in scoring position and walk to Aylor left the bases juiced for Robson.
“I had been struggling before but coach Yowell inspired me,” Robson said. “I swung through and lucky for me it went in between (the middle infield). I knew I needed to get a hit for my team and that’s what happened. I was so excited.”
When Kelliher came up next and put her team out in front all tension was eased for the players.
“I go up there and don’t worry about anything around me,” Kelliher said. “I only focus on hitting the ball, it’s just me and the pitcher. It was the best feeling (coming through), especially since it put us up. That’s just the best feeling in the world.”
Page ate up Madison’s insurance in the sixth with a 2-out triple from Allison Breeden followed immediately by an RBI single from Caitlyn Viafora. That single was the last hit that Aylor gave up though, and while Madison wasn’t able to give her more breathing room, it turned out she didn’t need any more. Aylor finished the game with her eighth strikeout and outside of the first inning and the mistake laden third, she was locked in throwing her hardest stuff in the middle of the game.
“Basically I had to go out there and throw as hard as I can because I had to leave it all out on the field,” Aylor said. “I didn’t want to have any regrets.”
While not a Bull Run District rival for the Madison softball team, the Panthers are beyond that for both teams’ players and coach. The Mountaineers have only dropped three of the 24 games they’ve played so far with two coming to Jefferson District giant Orange County and the other coming at the hands of Page early in the season. Madison bounced back to even the regular season series in the second week of May. To get a rubber match with a Group A ticket on the line seemed only fitting for this senior class.
“We’re in states now, this the best feeling ever,” Aylor said. “Page has knocked us out of the region the last three years. This is our last year — go hard or go home.”
All nine hitters for Madison registered at least one hit. Aylor was 2 for 2 with two doubles, a walk and two RBI. Kelliher was 2 for 3 with two RBI. Robson was 1 for 3 with two RBI. Whitaker was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
The Mountaineers are riding a 17-game winning streak and will play host to William Campbell on Friday at 7 p.m. for the Region B, Division 1 championship.
