Little League All-Stars 12U region softball: Boyd National battles but drops opener
Jul. 26—WHITESTOWN, Ind. — Boyd County National's Little League All-Stars 12U state-champion softball team had base traffic in every inning of its Central Region Tournament opener on Monday night.
And Boyd County National, trailing 2-0 in its final at-bat in the bottom of the sixth inning, got the would-be game-tying runner aboard.
Brooklyn Jacobs and Lacyn Black produced back-to-back singles to begin the final frame.
But Boardman Community (Ohio) pitcher Emma Davies settled in with two strikeouts and then induced a fielder's choice to shortstop Emily Swantek to get the lead runner at third base and preserve the two-run victory.
Black went 3 for 3, including a double, for Boyd County National, which sustained its first loss after undefeated runs through the District 6 and Kentucky state tournaments.
Black was also sterling in the circle. She allowed one earned run on five hits, with 13 strikeouts and two walks.
Boardman Community scored the game-winning run in the third inning on Swantek's two-out RBI single to plate Taylor Watts. The Buckeye State champs added one more in the fifth, when Addie Rudge singled home Davies.
That was plenty for Davies, who allowed four hits and one walk while fanning a dozen Boyd County National hitters.
Boyd County National drops into loser's bracket play in the double-elimination tournament. It meets Appleton American (Wisconsin) today at 10 a.m. as both teams look to bounce back. Appleton American lost to Beardstown (Illinois), 9-1, on Tuesday.
Boardman Community continues into the winner's bracket, where it is scheduled to oppose Beardstown tonight.
All tournament games are broadcast by ESPN+.
BOARDMAN 001 010 — 2 5 2
BOYD NAT'L 000 000 — 0 4 1
Davies and Rudge; Black and Bush. W — Davies. L — Black. 2B — Black (BCN).
