> SOUTHERN INDIANA — The Floyd Central softball team won the 2012 Hoosier Hills Conference Tournament with a 2-1, nine-inning victory over Bedford North Lawrence at home on Friday.

“I feel relieved, because we set our goals and our standards so high each year,” Floyd coach Joe Witten said. “It’s certainly nice to fulfill those — or at least some of them — and at this point, the girls, they know that each game, it’s going to be a battle. It’s going to be tough, because when you go in as one of the favorites, you’ve got a bullseye on your back.”

Floyd Central finally put the game away in the home ninth. With one away, Kallie Krammes was hit by a pitch, and Alex Engleman hit a grounder back to the circle that the Bedford pitcher couldn’t handle to reach safely and put Krammes on second. Samantha Feather blasted a laser down the left-field line to plate Krammes and win the game.

“It was an inside pitch,” Feather said. “I was just looking to put the ball in play so that we could move the runners and hopefully score.”

Runs didn’t come easily for either team. Floyd Central’s Caroline Cato faced the minimum in four of the first five innings, but it was the Stars that struck first in the top of the sixth inning to take the first lead of the contest.

With two outs, Bedford’s Bailey Gilbert knocked a double and came home when Shelby Pittman singled to left field.

The Highlanders responded immediately in the home half of the frame. Kate Kaiser led off with a single, followed by a sacrifice bunt attempt by Taylor Batliner. The play went sideways when Kaiser tried get to third base on a Bedford error, but Batliner moved up to second base when Kaiser was out at third. Batliner moved up to third on a fielder’s choice and scored on another fielding error by the Stars’ defense.

Cato left the circle after 7 2/3 innings of work. She struck out two and walked one, and had solid defense behind her the whole game.

“My screwball was working really well, and then I’d get two strikes on them and go outside,” Cato said. “Usually it caught them and they’d pop it up, and then our outfield would always catch it.”

The Floyd Central side did not concede an error in the contest.

“It takes a lot of stress off, and I know that I can throw strikes and put it in there,” Cato said.  

Morgan Harper finished off the game in the circle, improving her record to 10-1. She allowed one hit and struck out two.

The Floyd Central offense had little trouble getting runners on base, but a hard time getting them across the plate. The Highlanders stranded 11 runners in the contest.

Floyd Central now stands at 22-3 after the win.

“It’s awesome,” Krammes said. “It motivates us to go on and win sectional.

Floyd Central hosts Silver Creek on Monday.

“The girls have to be ready to play, because everybody else is going to play their A game,” Witten said. “Tonight, our defense was stellar. Our pitchers were brilliant, and our seniors, at the end they were just brilliant. You just want it for them. You don’t want the season to end. You want to continue going on, just for those seniors so they can have a special moment in high school.”



HOOSIER HILLS CONFERENCE

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

BEDFORD NL    000 001 000—1 6 6        

FLOYD CEN.    000 001 001—2 8 0

W — Morgan Harper (10-1). L — Morron (12-7). 2B — Kline (B), Gilbert (B).

Records — Bedford North Lawrence 13-10, Floyd Central 22-3.