The quest for a third consecutive 14th Region Championship came up just one run short Saturday afternoon as the Letcher County Central Lady Cougars fell to Hazard, 2-1, in the 14th Region softball Championship Game at Breathitt County High School.
The Lady Cougars struck first in the opening inning when Kelsey Bentley delivered an RBI single to give LCC an early 1-0 advantage. From there, the game turned into a classic pitchers’ duel between Letcher County Central’s Scarlett Stamper and Hazard’s Sami Noble.
Stamper was outstanding in the circle, allowing just four hits and two earned runs while striking out seven batters over six strong innings. The Lady Cougars’ defense also turned in a solid performance behind their ace, keeping the game within reach throughout the afternoon.
Hazard tied the game before scoring the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI double. Letcher County Central battled until the final out but was unable to push across the tying run in the seventh.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, the Lady Cougars close out another remarkable season with a 26-10 record.
This year’s team added another chapter to one of the most successful runs in program history, capturing a seventh consecutive district championship, advancing to the regional title game for the 4th straight year .
Congratulations to Coach Jay Perkins, his staff, and the entire team on an outstanding season.
Thank you, Lady Cougars, for another unforgettable season.
The Hazard Lady Bulldogs are 14th Region softball champions for the first time since 2005.
They will take on Ballard Memorial in the KHSAA softball state tournament at 1:00pm this Thursday at John Cropp stadium at UK in Lexington.
The other two softball teams representing the mountains at the state tournament will be the 15th Region champion Lawrence County Lady Bulldogs. They will play Madison Central at 5:00pm Thursday.
13th Region softball champions the South Laurel Lady Cardinals will open the state tournament at 10:00am Thursday morning against Highlands.