By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
Last week was another good one for Coach Amanda Myers and her Peebles Lady Indians softball squad. Two wins in two game and two very important wins at that. On Tuesday, May 12, the Lady Indians opened Division VI district tournament play on their home field and they advanced successfully with an easy 12-0 whitewash of the visiting Federal Hocking Lady lancers.
The next Day, May 13, the Lady Indians played their final Southern Hills Athletic Conference contest of the spring, knowing that a victory would make them the outright champions of the small school division. The Peebles girls were up to the task, knocking off the Fayetteville Lady Rockets 7-2 to finish conference play with a 10-3 mark, good enough to oust second place Fairfield (9-4).
First off in the district tournament contest, the Lady Indians were never seriously challenged, with southpaw Kaelyn Musser in the center circle, fanning 10 Federal Hocking hitters, one of those the 500th whiff of her career. On top of that, the lefty tossed a no-hitter as the Lady Indians advanced, scoring four in the second, one in the third, and then busting the game open with a seven-run fourth to secure the run-rule triumph.
In their four at-bats, Peebles hitters pounded out 11 hits, led by three hits each from freshman Josie McGhee and sophomore Amryn Carroll and two hits and three runs batted in from sophomore backstop Kendall Myers.
The next day the Lady Indians were back on their home field and looking to claim the SHAC small school crown. Perhaps the pressure was a little evident early as the Peebles bats managed just two runs, both , on a careless Fayetteville error, leading just 2-0 after three innings.
After the lady Rockets got toe Musser for a single run in the top of the fourth, the Peebles offense found its mark and tallied a huge three runs in the bottom half to lead 5-1. Peebles padded the lead with a two-spot in the bottom of the sixth and then celebrated a 7-2 win after the Lady Rockets managed only a single score in the to of the seventh.
It was Musser again form the center circle, tossing a seven-inning complete game and adding to her career strikeout total with 13 more. At the plate, the Lady Indians again hit double figures in hits with 10, getting two-hit efforts from Katie Myers, McGhee. Jerzi Tong and Kendall Young, three RBI’s from Tong. Peebles also got the first home run of the season from freshman third baseman Riley Byers, adding even more excitement to clinching the SHAC title.
“One of our goals at the beginning of the season was to win the SHAC small school division, so we are very proud to have accomplished that goal,” said Coach Myers. “Finishing the regular season with a 17–5 record is a testament to the hard work and dedication this team has shown all year. This is a special group of young women who genuinely enjoy playing together and supporting one another. They have worked extremely hard, continued to improve throughout the season, and have been a lot of fun to coach.”
“What makes this team so successful is their chemistry, work ethic, and commitment to each other. They compete with confidence, represent Peebles High School with pride, and their success is the result of the hard work and dedication they have put in throughout the season. I am very proud of what they have accomplished so far, but there is still more we want to achieve. Last season, we finished as district runners-up, and this group is determined to go even further this year!”
The Lady Indians are now 18-5 overall and were in district semifinal action on Tuesday, May 19 at Unioto High School, facing a familiar foe, fellow SHAC member, the Fairfield Lady Lions. Peebles and Fairfield split during the regular season, the Lady Lions winning 3-0 on April 2 and the Lady Indians prevailing 7-4 on May 7.
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