Kearney beats LS North 1-0, moves into softball semifinals

Source: The Star

JIM BARCUS | The Kansas City Star

Kat Barrow of Kearney kept Lee’s Summit North off the scoreboard on Saturday while striking out eight.

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Behind a steady helping of discipline and defense, Kearney advanced in the Class 4 softball quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over Lee’s Summit North on Saturday morning at Adair Park.

Kearney pitcher Kat Barrow threw the complete-game shutout, striking out eight batters and allowing four hits. The Bulldogs, 28-2, next face Oakville in the semifinal round on Friday in St. Joseph.

“Two more games?” Kearney junior Kim Breyfogle asked a teammate, inquiring about the upcoming championship weekend.

Only two more games until Kearney can attempt to win its first softball state title since 2004. But Breyfogle could not wait another game to rediscover her offense.

Breyfogle had been hitless in her last two games before the quarterfinals. However in the top of the second and with a runner in scoring position on Saturday, Breyfogle came through with the game’s only RBI. Breyfogle, who led the team with two hits, had approached the batter’s box with a disciplined mindset.

“I went up to the plate with a plan,” she said. “Wait for my pitch and my pitch only.”

LS North had a few chances, but the Kearney defense, as well as Barrow’s pitching, stifled those attempts.

In the bottom of the third, Bronco senior Sydney Owens got on with a two-out hit, but Barrow struck out the next batter. Then in the fourth, sophomore Makenzie Bradley provided a ray of hope with a leadoff single. But when the next batter tried a sacrifice bunt, Kearney senior third baseman Megan Dortch fielded the slow-rolling ball and threw out Bradley at second. Barrow struck out the next two batters to end the inning.

“Defense was solid, man!” said Dortch, who finished with two putouts and four assists. “I think that really lets Kat settle into her zone when the defense is behind her.”

Platte County advancesThe reigning Class 3 champion Platte County Pirates will make a return trip to St. Joseph after defeating Warsaw 2-0.

On a neighboring Adair Park field, Platte County senior pitcher Haley Pypes helped herself by hitting a second-inning home run. The Pirates, 24-7, added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, and by then Pypes had established a dominating presence on the mound.

“We’ve lived on her arm,” coach Rob Davenport said. “I’ve never had a player who’s competed harder with more on the line than her.”

When Warsaw threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning, putting two runners on base with only one out, Pypes worked out of danger by coaxing a pop out and a strikeout from the final two batters. Pypes allowed only four hits and struck out nine batters.

submitted by CANDACE BUCKNER - 2009-10-17 20:38:01