Jimtown High School

Dauntless Jimmies rebound for Senior Night victory By Red Williams Freelance Sportswriter ELKHART - Jimtown’s softball gals refused to let visiting Prairie Heights spoil Senior Night. The Jimmies battled back with a big crooked number (5) in the last inning to knock off the Panthers, 7-6, before a good-sized crowd Wednesday night (5.20.26). It was a beautiful night for softball with the temperature in the low 60’s, a slight breeze and a high blue sky. Jimtown (16-9) was never daunted, even though PH took a 6-2 lead in the top of the 7th inning. “The energy was high,” related Jimmies mentor Jamie Kerrn, “and the girls refused to give up.” Prairie Heights (13-8) led the entire game until Jimtown’s blazing rally. The Panthers’ Febie Booher kept the Jimmies unsettled thru the first six innings, allowing only solo homers to Layla Winrott, one of four seniors on the squad, who connected with a fast ball up in the zone; and to Brooklyn Gillespie, who went low to golf the ball over the leftfield fence. “Those two homers kept us in the game,” Kerrn said. “Meanwhile Claire (Carlson) was awesome on the mound.” Here’s how the winning rally unfolded: - - - - - Abby Williams, another senior, coaxed a walk off of Booher to lead off the inning, and after a ground out, Baylee Laird, also took a walk as a pinch-hitter. Shortstop Lilly Gaugler singled to center to plate Williams. Nora Hochstetler, also pinch-hitting, lined a single to right, and Winrott reached on a PH error to load the bases, as the Panthers changed pitchers. A fly-out to left interrupted the chain, but Kamryn Williams cleared the bases to tie the score at six with a single to left. Finally, Tori Swald singled to center on a hard-hit grounder that bounced over the Panthers shortstop’s glove, and Carlson scored the winning tally. “We got a little complacent,” complained PH coach Karis Johns, “and didn’t slam the door. Hats off to Jimtown, though. They put the ball in play and when you do good things happen.” Score by innings: Pr Heights 011 100 3 6 10 2 Jimtown 000 110 5 7 10 2 Umpires: Rod Morgan (Elkhart), plate; Bill Cochran (Granger), bases.