The Kosciusko Lady Whippets knew they had a battle on their hands when they found out they would be playing Caledonia for the MHSAA Class 4A North State title. Even though the Lady Whippets had thoroughly defeated the Lady Confederates twice on the season, Caledonia was arguably one of the hottest teams playing in Class 4A. The Lady Whippets hit the road for Game 1 last Friday and became victims of the tear that Caledonia was on, losing decisively by a score of 8-2. The Lady Whippets had one chance to stay alive in the best-of-three series back at home on Saturday and saw their fortunes turn with a thorough and convincing 9-1 win over Caledonia in Game 2 forcing Game 3 and a winner-takes-all scenario. After two back-to-back trips to the Class 4A North Championship Series, the Lady Whippets were bound and determined to make the third one the charm. Finding themselves down 3-0, the Lady Whippets came charging back to tie it all up at 3-3 and eventually blew it open in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-3 lead, which would be the final.
The win moved the Lady Whippets to 26-7 overall and placed them into the MHSAA Class 4A State Championship series beginning on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. against the 4A South champion North Pike Lady Jaguars, who are 24-9-1 on the season.
In Game 1 on Friday night in Caledonia, Katie Lawrence got the start for the Lady Whippets in their 8-2 loss. The offensive leaders for Kosciusko were Kelly Hood with a triple, single and one run scored; Josie Meggs with a single; Maddy Gilmore with a single and one run scored; Sarah Caroline Henderson with a single and Lawrence with a single.
Katie Mitchell got the start back in Kosciusko on Saturday in Game 2, yielding no hits and one run in the 9-1 win over Caledonia to even the series at 1-1. The offensive leaders for the Lady Whippets were Meggs with a single and two runs scored; Gilmore with a single and one run scored; Mitchell with four singles; AnnaLeigh Jones with a single; Madeline McCown with a single; Sarah Caroline Henderson with a single; Kathryn Clare Schuler with a single; Abigail Myers with one run scored; Audrey Claire Henderson with one run scored; Emma Rush with one run scored.
In the Game 3, Lawrence got the start and win by pitching three innings, striking out six while allowing one hit. Mitchell finished out the contest and pitched four innings, striking out three Lady Feds. The offensive leaders for the Lady Whippets were Hood with a single and two runs scored; Gilmore with a triple and two runs scored; Mitchell with a single; Jones with a single; Audrey Claire Henderson with a single and one run scored; Meggs with one run scored; Myers with one run scored; McCown with one run scored.
“I’m proud for them,” said Kosciusko head coach Tony Terry. “We’ve been close the last two years and I think it says a lot about them; just the fact that three years in a row we got to this point. We went up there last night (Friday) and didn’t play our best and we talked about it after the game and they had a great attitude. I told them that we play so well at home and will have a tremendous crowd and to be honest with you, I never and they never doubted that we were going to win it. Even when we got down, they were saying we are going to win it.”
