Rally Not Enough As LHSS Loses Championship To DuBourg

– The thrilling Lutheran South girls softball team’s 2011 season came to a tearful end Friday afternoon, as the Lancers suffered a heartbreaking 7-6 extra-inning loss to Bishop DuBourg High in the Missouri Class 3 District 3 championship game at the Lutheran South Athletic Complex.

“It was a pretty tough game,” Lutheran South head softball coach Linda McQueen said. “We knew it was going to be a tough game, and the girls really battled. It was just that one inning where things got out hand.”

The Lancers, who finish the year with a 12-10 record, came into districts as the No. 2 seed but fell behind top-seeded DuBourg on two different occasions in the early going. Still, they were able to rally back both times to force extra innings.

Unfortunately, when the Cavaliers scored on a basehit by sophomore Kayla Jarrett to re-take the lead in top of the eighth, the Lancers just weren’t able to respond in kind.

“I was proud of how my girls battled,” McQueen said. “They could’ve put their heads down so many times, but they just kept battling.”

And even though they went into the bottom of the seventh down 6-3, Lutheran South almost fought its way all the back to a victory, when one through four hitters Claire Wernig, Stephanie Budrovich, Brooke Tiehes and Jennifer Schaper each smacked basehits that produced three quick runs to tie the score.

Schaper delivered the tying blow, a deep blast off the outfield wall that some thought might sail out for a game-winning home run.

The ball instead stayed in the park, but drove in Tiehes to make the score 6-6.

“Claire got us started with a towering fly ball none of their outfielders could get to,” McQueen said. “Then the next three girls just stepped up and all smacked one that scored us another run. It was pretty exciting.”

Senior Peyton Downey also reached first on a tapper back to the pitcher, then stole second, to put two runners in scoring position with nobody out.

But that’s when fate turned its hand on the Lancers.

Junior centerfielder Kayla Bretz tapped one back to DuBourg pitcher Megan Newman also, and was out at first on a close play.

Schaper broke for home to try to win the game, but she too was thrown out, when DuBourg’s Jessica Koenen fired to the plate and catcher Hannah Rettig tagged the Lutheran South catcher before she could score the winning run.

“Jenny’s a great baserunner, and I don’t fault her for trying to score there,” McQueen said. “I probably would’ve tried it too. But it was a bang-bang play, and (DuBourg) had to make a perfect play to get her and they did.”

DuBourg got out of the inning, when Thursday hitting star Grace Niebling struck out to end the inning.

The Cavaliers then won the game in the eighth, when Jarrett drove in teammate Tiffany Weinhardt with a solid single that made the score 7-6.

The victory for DuBourg means the Cavaliers will advance to the state softball sectionals, next Wednesday, where they will play Westminster Christian Academy at a site yet to be determined.

“We’re excited about our team next year,” McQueen said. “We’ve got a lot of talent coming back. But we’re also losing some talented girls too. We should have a good group next year. But it is disappointing for us that this season is over.”

DuBourg will play Westminster Christian in the state softball sectionals on Wednesday. Time and location for that game are yet to be determined.