Lady Eagles Cruise To District Championship Game

With Sullivan putting up eight runs in the first inning, the rest of Thursday’s Class 3 District 7 semifinal against Owensville was just a matter of playing out the string.

Hanna Johanning and Addison Purvis hit homers, Kayla Ulrich hit two doubles and Sullivan advanced to the district championship for the 21st straight season with a 12-2 victory over the Dutchgirls.

Sullivan (21-6) moved on to play third-seeded Pacific in Friday’s title game. 

Pacific upset second-seeded Borgia 2-1 in the other semifinal.

The Lady Eagles ducked out of trouble in the first inning when they committed two errors and allowed Owensville to put runners into scoring position.

Johanning, who started, struck out Addie Wright for the second out. Sullivan brought in Purvis to finish the inning and she retired MacKenzie Rademacher with a strikeout.

Johanning came back in for Purvis to start the second with the Lady Eagles up 8-0. 

She retired seven straight before the Dutchgirls plated a run in the fourth on an error. 

Up 10-2 in the fifth and Owensville threatening, Sullivan brought Purvis back in to face Hailey Boyer. She again got out of the inning with a strikeout.

Sullivan’s offense provided plenty of support with an eight-run burst in the first inning.

Ulrich led off with a double and was replaced by Alexis Johnson on the bases. She scored when Purvis singled to right for a 1-0 lead.

Cox followed up with a single and Johanning cracked her fifth homer of the season to center, giving Sullivan a 4-0 lead.

With two outs, Payton Counts reached on an error at first, which scored Kloey Blanton. 

Madyson Stahl reached on an error at short. Ulrich came up for the second time and smashed an RBI single to left for a 6-0 advantage.

Purvis drove in two more with her second hit of the inning.

She led off the third with a home run to right, her 12th of the season.

Sophia Weirich’s two-out RBI single scored Grace Glaser and put Sullivan on top 10-1.

The Lady Eagles were able to put the game away in the fifth, all with two outs.

Ulrich doubled for the second time. Purvis walked and Cox singled to left. Johanning singled off Wright, scoring two runs and giving Sullivan a 10-run lead.