(Springfield, MO) The West County Lady Bulldogs fall to the Mount Vernon Mountaineers in the Class 2 Softball State Championship at Killian Sports Complex on Tuesday, 6-0.
Mount Vernon Pitcher Harley Daniels blanked the Lady Bulldogs in the Championship Game allowing 5 total hits. She struck out 9 West County hitters of the 27 she faced.
A two out, first inning triple by West County's Morgan Simily went for not as she was stranded when Reese Smith struck out looking after yanking a long fly ball foul down the left field line, much to the dismay of her head coach CJ Wright who thought the ball was fair.
The Lady Bulldogs were rattled in the bottom of the 1st inning when Mount Vernon struck for four two out runs. A walk to Allie Schubert started the rally that featured an RBI double from Harley Daniels, 2-run triple from Cheyenne Bieber and an RBI single by Hali Stokes.
The Mountaineers added their 5th run in the second on Molly Daniels's RBI single that scored Payge Evans from second base. Evans added a run scoring single in the bottom of the 6th to pad the lead.
West County stranded runners in scoring position in the 4th, 6th and 7th innings.
Lady Bulldogs Head Coach, CJ Wright, says he is proud of the teams effort after the tough 1st inning.
West County reached the Championship game after a tremendous pitching performance by Gracie Wright on Monday in the Semifinals in the 2-0 win against the Ava Bears. Wright struck out 17 batters and allowed just 2 hits while also going 2-for-3 at the plate in the win.
The Lady Bulldogs finish the season with a record of 23-5 and are Class 2 State Runners-up for the second time in program history, both under CJ Wright (2015, 2023).
