Kelsey Lovelace
The Columbus North softball team won its conference Thursday night.
Kelsey Lovelace’s bat and the shutout performance in the circle by Bailee Scruggs helped the Bull Dogs to a 2-0 Conference Indiana win over Bloomington South.
The victory gives North a share the conference title with Terre Haute South, both finishing at 4-1.
The game started with a rain delay as a heavy shower moved through the Columbus area just prior to the 6 p.m. first pitch. The delay lasted approximately 75 minutes as coaches and parents helped make the field playable to get the key conference matchup played Thursday.
“It’s feels great because it was so earned this year,” said Lovelace, the lone senior on the team. “These girls have worked so hard every single day, day in and day out. It feels really good honestly.”
Bailee Scruggs
Scruggs pitched a shutout Thursday. She allowed two hits and struck out nine.
“With Peyton (Morris) back, (Scruggs) was given the extra day of rest. She didn’t pitch Saturday, Sunday, pitched only one inning Monday, and then was off the last two days. We really worked on getting her refreshed, getting her tank back up,” North coach TJ Jarvis said. “We feel like Peyton’s tank is up from not throwing (for a couple weeks). Overall, it was gem. She pitched fantastic tonight.”
North (9-9, 4-1) got the first run of the game in the bottom of the first when Lovelace blasted the ball deep to center field. It hit the top of the chainlink fence and bounced back into play. The outfielder caught the ball off the ricochet from hitting the top of the fence. With everyone in a state of confusion on the play at first, Lovelace sprinted around the bases to touch home plate. However, the umpires called the play dead following the catch from the ricochet. It was ruled a ground rule double.
It didn’t come back to haunt the Bull Dogs as a wild pitch advanced Lovelace to third, and she scored on a sacrifice bunt from Peyton Morris for the 1-0 lead.
The insurance run for North came in the bottom of the sixth when Lovelace doubled and scored on a single from Morris.
“(Lovelace is) a big-time player. I love her attitude. I love how she’s a team leader. She does a really good job with this young team,” Jarvis said. “I’m really proud of her. She absolutely showed up and showed out tonight.”
Payton Morris
The Bull Dogs outhit the Panthers 4-2. Lovelace was 2 for 2 with two doubles, Morris was 1 for 3 with two RBIs and Morgan Jarvis was 1 for 3.
“It’s adversity at its finest. We dealt with a lot of injuries. To come out here and be Conference Indians champions is pretty cool,” TJ Jarvis said.
