May 25—Jessie Daniels and Annie Newman went yard at winning time for Daviess County High School's softball team.

Down two runs, the DC power hitters delivered consecutive home run shots to lift the Lady Panthers to a 5-4 win over Owensboro Catholic in the 3rd Region Softball Tournament championship game Wednesday night at Grayson County High School.

It was the fourth straight 3rd Region softball crown for Daviess County.

Daniels hit a full-count 2-run home run with two outs to tie the game 4-4.

Then right on cue, Newman stepped up and hammered a second solo home run that would be the difference. Newman hit a solo homer in the bottom of the second to put DC up 1-0.

"Amazing," Daniels said of how she felt winning region again as a senior. "I came into this game thinking it would be a good game, we love to keep everybody on their toes, and then produce."

Daniels was laughing, and in all the Lady Panthers were relaxed throughout the game, even when trailing.

"I kind of just let it all go," Daniels said of her home run at-bat. "I got up there and was like I've been struggling, it can only go up from here. Base hit, that's what I was thinking when I went up there. Me and Annie like to hit back-to-back home runs, that happens a lot for some reason."

Brooke Hamilton hit a high fly ball in the top of the third that was dropped in center field and allowed Lilli Grant to score, tying the game 1-1.

Grant uncorked a home run ball that flew over the left field fence with two on for a 4-2 Owensboro Catholic lead.

Brooke Hamilton worked out of a major pitching jam with two straight strikeouts and a flyout in the bottom of the fourth.

Brooke Hamilton struck out seven and gave up nine hits in a fine pitching effort for Catholic, which finished 23-12.

DC pitcher Raylee Roby struck out six and gave up four hits.

No. 4 Daviess County will take a 30-4 record into the KHSAA State Softball Tournament.

"We stayed the course, we never panicked, there was never panic in this dugout, just put together more at-bats," DC coach John Biggs said. "We were able to get long, extended at-bats. What can you say, those kids (Daniels, Newman) are stepping up in big moments and hitting big shots. Just a real gutty effort."

"Always, you know with that lineup, we knew we had to get three or four runs to get them," Catholic coach Jeremy Phelps said. "We get the key home run, that's big. I thought we put ourselves in a spot where we could win the game. You hate it for your seniors, I have eight of them."

OWESNBORO CATHOLIC|001 300 0 — 4 4 0

DAVIESS COUNTY|011 030 x — 5 9 2

WP-Roby. LP-Bro. Hamilton. HR-Newman 2, Daniels (DC). Grant (C).

3RD REGION ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Daviess County: Annie Newman, Jessie Daniels, Kaitlyn Hill, Raylee Roby.

Owensboro Catholic: Brooke Hamilton, Addison Tignor, Lilli Grant.

Breck County: Ashlyn White. Meade County: Annabelle Knoop. Muhlenberg County: Macy Cotton. Ohio County: Talynn Clark. Butler County: Avery Gleason, Tinsley Belcher. Edmonson County: Annie Kiper, Julie Norris