KC softball gets late heroics, makes RXIV tourney
May 15—From the desk of Kilgore College coach Trish Robinson:
(Not really, but it did probably read something like this)
Step 1: Beat Northeast Texas Thursday and get into the Region XIV East Conference Tournament.
Step 2: Win.
Robinson, in her first year as head softball coach at KC, started the week likely with this in mind, and on Thursday, at their home field at The Ballpark at KC Commons, the Rangers did it: they beat Northeast Texas Community College, 7-6, to earn a spot in the tournament.
The Rangers were to play Trinity Valley, ironically enough, in the first round of the tournament on Friday afternoon, following the print deadline of this edition of the News Herald — ironic because that's who the football Rangers play today in Athens at 3 p.m. (see our preview story in this section).
The entire RXIV softball tournament, which is double-elimination, is being played at the University of Texas at Tyler and continues throughout today. KC is the sixth overall seed; Trinity Valley is seeded third. If KC won on Friday afternoon, they were to play again Friday night against Tyler Junior College, the two-seed. If KC lost the afternoon game on Friday, they will play again today at noon, against an opponent to be determined.
See an update online now on our online sports section at kilgorenewsherald.com.
KC had to get into the tournament first, and was 4-0 against Northeast Texas this season, coming into this must-win game.
But the Rangers, who led twice during the game, trailed late, and had to mount a comeback.
They did, tying the game at 6. And in the bottom of the seventh and final inning (of regulation), they went ahead, a walk-off RBI single by Caison Nachtigall that scored Dajah Montgomery for the winning run. Montgomery crossed the plate, the team celebrated, and the bulk of the crowd did, too, including a good portion of the football team.
KC went up 2-0 early. Makayla Trevino hit a 2-RBI double that put the Rangers in front.
Northeast Texas then tied it in the top of the third, with help from an error and a home-plate steal. But KC returned the favor in the bottom of the third, going in front again on a steal of home of their own by pitcher Marissa Medina.
Neither team scored in the fourth inning, but in the fifth, NTCC plated three runs (5-3 NTCC) and then watched as KC went up yet again, a 2-RBI single by Montgomery, followed by an RBI single by Calleigh King to score her (6-5 KC).
Coming to crunch time in the single-game winner-take-all, Northeast capitalized off an error to tie the game yet again, this time at 6-all, in the top of the sixth.
But after Jenna Lewis came onto the mound, got defensive help and shut Northeast down in the top of the seventh, KC worked the winning magic in the bottom of the inning. Montgomery got a lead-off single, and Hannah Grumbles drew a walk. King followed with another walk, loading the bases for Nachtigall, who didn't disappoint and came through with the winning hit.
Medina pitched 4 2/3 innings, giving up five runs on five hits, with a strikeout. Lewis finished with the final 2 2/3 innings, giving up a run and notching three strikeouts.
