Sullivan Stymies Savannah To Win First State Title

The pressure was building.

Sullivan trailed Savannah 1-0 in the Class 3 championship game on Friday at Killian Softball Field and the Savages had the bases loaded with no outs.

Another run or two would force the Lady Eagles in the unenviable position of rallying against Kenzie Schopfer, who pitched shutouts in more than half Savannah’s games this season.

Enter Jaedin Blankenship.

The sophomore relieved Hanna Johanning and snuffed out the rally with two groundouts to keep the deficit at 1-0.

One inning later, the Lady Eagles would take the lead on Kayla Ulrich’s two-out, two-run single to center, providing all the runs they would need to pull out a 2-1 victory and claim the Class 3 championship, their first in program and school history.

The moment was never too big for Blankenship, who entered pressure spots in games against Logan-Rogersville and Bowling Green and slammed the door.

Savannah touched Blankenship for just one hit — a two-out single in the sixth that she promptly wiped away with a groundout.

The Savages chopped one ground ball after another to Sullivan’s infielders, mostly Blankenship.

Six of the 12 groundball outs Blankenship recorded were hit right back to her.

She needed just 49 pitches to get 14 outs.

The Lady Eagles followed their postseason formula to form: get a lead and stifle the opponent with pitching and defense.

The offensive side of the equation was provided by Ulrich, who continued to deliver one key hit after another.

Her two-run single in the fourth came with the center fielder charging in and unable to make the catch.

Ulrich finished with eight RBIs in three postseason games, four of them serving as go-ahead runs.

Read more on this story in the Nov. 4 issue of the Independent News.