Fifth inning ends Tipp’s softball season
After two blowout losses to Greenville earlier in the season, the Tippecanoe softball team picked the right day to put together one of their most complete games of the season.
Taking the fifth inning out where Greenville scored all three of their runs, the Red Devils battled toe to toe with Goliath before falling short 3-0 in the Division Three Regional semifinals held at Newton High School last Thursday.
Tipp finishes the season 18-13 and, with several of these players returning, aspirations are high for another successful season next spring.
But for now, it was about slaying the giant who cruised through the MVL and postseason so far. Tipp knew what they were up against, but coach Charles Tackett was impressed by how his team played.
“We made some changes a few weeks ago and we had to get better,” he said. “These girls really bought into what we wanted to do. They allowed us to coach them, and you see the results.”
“The farther you go into the tournament, the harder it is to lose. Nobody wants to lose. But I give the girls all the credit, and they had a great season.”
Both Ella Oswalt, the top player in the MVL, and Tipp senior starting pitcher Jaina Drum matched pitch for pitch for four innings. Neither would budge. Their defenses were stellar behind them except for a couple of unexpected Greenville errors, but they threw zeroes on the board through four innings.
But the Green Wave took advantage in the fifth inning of a one-out single and walk before a double brought home the games’ first run. A sacrifice fly made it 2-0, then a single by Leah Force put Greenville up 3-0 after five, and the light at the end of the tunnel for Tipp was dimming.
Tipp did get a runner on in the sixth but could not score her. Then a walk in the seventh again was left on base as Oswalt completed the no-hitter with seven strikeouts.
“I am excited for the future, and the next few years will be fun,” Tackett said. “If you would have told me three weeks ago we were going to win districts and be here in the regionals. Plus, we didn’t get any breaks.”
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