Lady Eagles Shutout Owensville, Win FRC Championship

Owensville brought the tying run to the plate twice Tuesday, but their efforts to dent Sullivan and pull off an upset were thwarted.

Addison Purvis struck out 12, scattered four hits and led the Lady Eagles to a 6-0 victory that clinched the program’s first conference championship since 2013.

Sullivan (18-2) completed a perfect run through their conference foes, returning to the top of the standings where they reigned from 2008 to 2013.

Perhaps most impressive was the lopsided nature. Sullivan outscored FRC opponents 83-1. St. Clair scored the only run against the Lady Eagles.

The last time Sullivan dominated the conference like they have came in 2005, when they were 7-0. Sullivan outscored FRC teams 75-2.

With a win on Thursday against Jefferson, Sullivan can tie the 19-2 record the 2005 Lady Eagles jumped out to.

To pick up Tuesday’s win at Owensville, Sullivan scored a run in the first two innings, one in the fifth, then three in the seventh to put the game firmly out of reach.

Sullivan went without a home run, a rarity anymore. Owensville chose to pitch around Purvis and walked her three times. They couldn’t figure out Hannah Cox, who doubled twice, singled and drove in three runs.

The Lady Eagles got going in the first when Purvis drew a one-out walk from Dutchgirls starter Kaylee Abney. Reagan Thomure was sent in as a courtesy runner and she stole second, then moved up to third on an error by the catcher. Thomure trotted home on Cox’s first double.

Morgan Bobbitt drew a leadoff walk in the second, went to second on a groundout and took third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Emma Weirich bunted Bobbitt home and reached safely, giving the Lady Eagles a 2-0 lead.

Cox drove in another run in the fifth when Blanton singled and Purvis drew a walk. Her single scored Blanton and put Sullivan up 3-0.

Owensville threatened for the first time in the fifth. Mackenzie Rademacher singled to left, then Katelyn Landolt reached on a pop fly. Purvis carved up Hailey Boyer and Alli Dintelman to get out of the jam.

The Dutchgirls put two more runners on in the sixth on an error and a single by Chloe Sooter, but Purvis whiffed Julie Wright and got Abney to ground a ball back to her to finish the inning.

Sullivan’s offense added some insurance in the seventh. Blanton singled and Abney walked Purvis and Cox to load the bases. Hanna Johanning’s sacrifice fly scored Blanton, then Kamryn Lohden doubled to center, staking Sullivan to a 6-0 lead.