Missouri edges Zionsville at Regional

Jul. 29—WHITESTOWN — For a brief second on Wednesday afternoon, it looked like a big comeback was in the cards for the Zionsville Little League Major Softball team.

Entering the final half inning against the Missouri champions from Daniel Boone Little League, the Eagles trailed 2-0 and hadn't had a base runner since the first inning of the game.

But then Jenna Dittmer started off the bottom of the sixth with a bang, tripling to right field and scoring on a throwing error, cutting to the two-run deficit down to one and the top of the Zionsville order was coming up.

Then Riley Cunningham hit a hard ground ball that was initially mishandled by the pitcher, and for a second, it looked like Cunningham was going to reach and the tying run would be on base.

But, the comeback wasn't meant to be. Missouri pitcher Kennedy Watson recovered just in time to get Cunningham at first, then the next two batters grounded out to end the game.

It ended what was an extremely well played game between the final two undefeated teams in the tournament.

Missouri scored in the top of the second after a triple and a sacrifice fly, then added a run in the fourth on another triple and a single.

Before the final inning, Zionsville's best chance to score came in the first inning, when Elli Strecker reached on an error and Allie Stump walked with one out.

But a ground out and pop out ended the threat, and 14 Eagle batters were retired in a row before Dittmer's triple.

Strecker pitched the first five innings and struck out four. Anna Cope pitched a scoreless sixth.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, there will be no international teams at the Little League Softball World Series in Greenville, N.C. from August 11-18.

That means two teams from each of the five regions will get a berth in the World Series.

Zionsville will face the Ohio champion from Canfield Little League at 10 a.m. Thursday. The winner not only advances to face Missouri for the Central Regional title, but gets the second spot in the Little League Softball World Series as well.

Will Willems is the Sports Editor of the Lebanon Reporter. Follow him on Twitter @Will_Willems.