LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL: Floyds Knobs reclaims state title

Jul. 20—FLOYDS KNOBS — The state title is back in the Knobs.

The Floyds Knobs Major All-Stars rode a fast start on offense, and some solid pitching, to a 12-7 win over Zionsville in the state championship game Tuesday night at Floyds Knobs Community Club.

Floyds Knobs won three straight state titles between 2017 and 2019 before the 2020 season was canceled by COVID-19. Then last year, Zionsville edged Floyds Knobs 1-0 in the state final to end its reign.

"It feels good because last year was a great group of talented girls and we lost to them in the final innings. This year it felt good to just get revenge and kind of show them on our homefield that we're the designated state champion," said Aubrey Duckworth, one of three holdovers from last year's squad.

Ironically, Duckworth made the game-ending catch in deep center field to start a celebration for Floyds Knobs, which advances to next week's Central Region Tournament.

"I had a bad read on the ball, so I was just sticking my glove out there and it hit the mit and I was just fired up," Duckworth said.

Still it wasn't an easy road for Floyds Knobs, which lost 8-4 to Zionsville in a winners' bracket contest Monday. Floyds Knobs bounced back to beat Chet Waggoner 20-2 later that night in an elimination contest to earn a winner-take-all championship game Tuesday.

Floyds Knobs made the most of its second chance, building an 8-0 lead before Zionsville scored four times in the bottom of the fourth.

Floyds Knobs, however, responded with three runs in the fifth and another in the sixth.

Duckworth and Emory Hegedus, one of the other returning players from last year, led the way at the plate. Duckworth went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs while scoring once. Hegedus was 3-for-4 with two RBIs while touching home twice.

Those two both reached base in the first inning before Adyson Rohmann drove them in with a two-RBI triple. Rohmann also scored on the play thanks to one of Zionsville's eight errors.

"I think we needed a lot of energy and we produced the runs off the get-go and that made their energy go down," Duckworth said.

Duckworth was also the winning pitcher. She allowed four earned runs on five hits while striking out two over the first 3 1/3 innings. She gave way to Lucy Isaacs, who got the final two outs of the fourth. Isaacs was replaced by Emma Warren in the fifth. The right-hander allowed one unearned run on one hit while striking out one over the final two frames to secure the victory.

Still, there were some anxious moments in the bottom of the sixth. After back-to-back Floyds Knobs errors, manager Chris Redden made a quick trip to the circle.

"Girls lose their confidence a little bit, so you just build them back up and tell them, 'One play doesn't define you, your attitude does. So pick it up, put a smile on your face and let's win the next battle,'" he recalled saying afterward. "That's what the girls did all day long. They fought for everything."

Moments later the game ended on Duckworth's catch.

"I was like, 'She better catch it," Warren recalled. "I was like, good thing she has long arms."

Now it's on to the regional tourney, which is scheduled to start Monday.

"We're really excited. We've worked hard for it. We've done a lot of practices in terrible heat and it's definitely paid off," Isaacs said.

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MAJOR LEAGUE STATE TOURNAMENT

Tuesday's final at Floyds Knobs Community Club

FLOYDS KNOBS 12, ZIONSVILLE 7

Floyds Knobs 322 131 — 12 13 3

Zionsville 000 421 — 7 7 8

W — Aubrey Duckworth. L — Anna C. 2B — Lindsay Platt (FK), Duckworth (FK), Tess B. (Z), Haldey B. (Z), Aurora L. (Z). 3B — Natalie Curtis (FK), Rohmann (FK), Ainsley W. (Z).