Peebles senior pitcher Lanie Johnston had a big game in her team’s 10-4 sectional finals win over Miller. Johnston hit a three-run go-ahead homer and pitched a complete game for the win as the Lady Indians moved back to district play. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)

Peebles senior pitcher Lanie Johnston had a big game in her team’s 10-4 sectional finals win over Miller. Johnston hit a three-run go-ahead homer and pitched a complete game for the win as the Lady Indians moved back to district play. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)

By Mark Carpenter

People’s Defender

The last few years of postseason play have been a story of success for Coach Doug McFarland and his Peebles Lady Indians softball squad. Coming off Final Four and Elite Eight appearances in 2019 and 2021, the Lady Indians began their 2033 tournament trail on Wednesday, May 11 with a trip to Miller High School to face the host Lady Falcons in a Division IV sectional championship game.On that trip, the Lady Indians earned the right to defend their district championship as they advanced with a 10-4 win over the Miller squad.

All it took for the Peebles girls to gran another sectional crown was one big inning, one really big inning. The Lady Indians were held scoreless in six of their at-bats, but in the top of the fourth inning they erased a 3-0 deficit by sending 14 batters to the plate and scoring 10 times, enough to repeat as sectional champions. Peebles was led by the bat and arm of senior Lanie Johnson who threw a complete game from the mound for the win and went 2 for 4 at the plate with 4 driven in, including a three-run homer in the big fourth.

It was the Lady Falcons taking the early lead in this sectional battle, getting to Johnston for three runs in the bottom of the second, getting a triple from Olivia Dishon, followed by a Abby Wood single for the game’s first run. Later in the frame, and RBI ground out by Abby Keller and a successful squeeze from Breanna Allen brought home two more for the early Miller advantage.

The score remained at 3-0 until the Lady Indians batted in the fourth, and the whole complexion of the contest changed. Marisa Moore was hit by a pitch to begin the rally and came all the way around to score when Baylie Johnston reached on an error. Caydence Carroll also reached safely on a Miller miscue, bringing Lanie Johnston to the dish and she cleared the bases with a three-run blast that put her team in front for good at 4-3.

Darby Mills followed with a two-base hit, Avery Storer walked, Lily McFarland singled, Abigail Smalley reached on yet another Miller error, Emmi Nichols singled home a run, Baylie Johnston singled, Carroll drove home two with a base hit, and a Lanie Johnston sacrifice fly gave her four RBI’s in the inning. When all the smoke had cleared, the Peebles offense had stuck a double digit number on the scoreboard and took a commanding 10-3 lead, eight of the runs being unearned.

Johnston tossed scoreless frames at the Miller offense in the fourth and fifth, while the Peebles offense cooled off with back-to-back 1-2-3 innings. The Lady Falcons got one back in the bottom of the sixth, but that turned out to be the final score of this sectional battle. Peebles threatened in the top of the seventh when Carroll reached on an error followed by a Lanie Johnston single. A Mills sacrifice bunt moved both runners over, but both Storer and McFarland struck out to end the threat.

In the top of the seventh, the Lady Indians ended the game in fashion, turning double play for the game’s final two outs and earning a return trip to district tournament play.

Lanie Johnston was the story of the day, pitching a complete game for the win while going 2 for 4 and driving in four to aid her own cause. Caydence Caroll continued her outstanding season, driving home two as the Lady Indians improved their overall record to 10-6 as their season continued.

The district bracket Gods in the Southeast District must take some cues from the NCAA, looking for those rivalry match ups and they certainly have one in the district semis as Peebles will once again face off with Portsmouth Notre Dame, the Lady Titans being ranked #7 in the state in Division IV in the latest poll. The Lady Indians have bounced Notre Dame from the tournament in two consecutive seasons, setting a up a huge battle that took place at Rio Grande University on Tuesday afternoon. Look for a full report on that match up in a future issue of The People’s Defender.

BOX SCORE

Peebles

000 (10)00 0 —10

Miller

030 001 0 —4

Peebles Hitting (AB-R-H-RBI): Moore 3-1-0-0, B. Johnston 4-2-1-0, Carroll 4-1-1-2, L. Johnston 4-1-2-4, Mills 3-1-1-0, Storer 3-1-0-0, McFarland 4-1-1-0, Smalley 3-1-0-0, Nichols 3-1-1-1, Team 31-10-7-7.

Extra-Base Hits: Mills 2B, L. Johnston HR

Miller Hitting (AB-R-H-RBI): Needham 4-0-2-0, Joseph 4-0-0-0, Jace Agriesti 3-0-0-0, Dishon 3-2-2-0, Wood 3-1-1-1, Palmer 3-1-1-0, Jayden Agriesti 2-0-1-0, Keller 3-0-0-1, Allen 1-0-0-1, Stover 1-0-1-0, Team 27-4-8-3.

Extra-Base Hits: Dishon 3B

Peebles Pitching:

L. Johnston (W) 7 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Miller Pitching:

Jace Agriesti (L) 7 IP, 7 H, 10 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K