Rossville softball continues historic season with first regional title

ROSSVILLE — Down two runs going into the bottom of the fifth, Rossville’s softball team didn’t flinch and just as they had all season, the Hornets came up with an answer.

Five of them to be exact as the Hornets overcame Riverton Parke’s upset bid in a 5-3 regional championship win Tuesday that granted Class A No. 9 Rossville a chance to play for a semistate title.

Despite playing in the program's first regional game, it was business as usual for the Hornets and senior shortstop Michelle Rodkey.

“Honestly, the game plan is just play our game,” Rodkey said. “I think we underestimate how good we are all the time and I think we can put up numbers. I think we struggled to hit a little in sectionals but we really came out and let them have it after a while.”

Rossville will face North Miami (19-9) at Saturday's Frankfort Semistate at 11 a.m. The winner will advance to the 7 p.m. championship.

While Rossville (23-2) didn’t score Tuesday night until the bottom of the fifth, the Hornets ended the second and third innings with two runners on while tallying a nine hits.

A passed ball by Rossville granted Riverton Parke (17-10) the first score of the game. The Panthers notched their second run of the game on the ensuing at bat with a bunt to first base.

The Hornets took first blood on the chin, however, with bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth and back to back sacrifice flies by Avery Gorbett and Avery Layton to end the frame tied up two all.

For Rossville head coach Chris Gorbett, it all comes down to the Hornets' pursuit of greatness.

“I think you’ve seen a little bit of confidence," he said. "Like I said, the biggest thing is they don’t quit and I think you’ve seen that today and we’ve seen it in the last few games and I’m proud of them and we’ll continue hopefully."

Avery Layton and Avery Gorbett each had two hits and one run batted in to lead the Rossville offense.

Layton finished with 12 strikeouts while allowing five hits in seven innings pitched.

“The umpire was calling the outside corner,” Layton said. “I lived on the corner and they were swinging at my rise and my defense is behind me and they were right there for me.”

An inning after evening the score, Rossville broke the tie with a walk after the bases were loaded. With the next at bat, Rodkey’s grounder turned into a Riverton Parke error that gave the Hornets’ two-run lead.

Avery Gorbett grounded to short that brought home another Hornet score.

With a matchup against North Miami on the horizon, Rodkey believes the Hornets’ consistent approach will continue to result in victories

“It’s insane,” Rodkey said. “It’s crazy that we’ve gone this far and I think that we can keep going. I said last week, I don’t think we’re done and that was a good team. They were solid. They put up two runs against us first but we didn’t give up and that’s a big part of this team is I don’t think we give up.”

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Rossville softball continues historic season with first regional title