Cheyenne Central Outlasts Campbell County to Reach Softball Title Game [VIDEOS]
The Cheyenne Central Indians advanced the inaugural state championships game for high school softball on Friday with a 12-10 victory over Campbell County in Gillette.
Central led 12-2 early in the game and held off a big comeback by the Camels.
Campbell County will play Kelly Walsh Saturday at 9 a.m. in the second semifinal. This is an elimination game. The winner moves on to play the Indians at 11 a.m., while the loser’s season is finished.
Cameron Moyte and Kaitlyn Ackerman each hit home runs, while Lauren Lucas added three hits, all doubles, and three RBI’s in the Central victory.
The Indians scored twice in the first inning, as they took advantage of two Campbell County errors for a 2-0 lead. A bases-loaded walk and a three-run double by Lucas put Central up 6-0 in the second inning. Moyte’s solo home run to lead off the third made it 7-1. It was 8-2 when Ackerman led off the fourth with a solo shot to left field. That was followed by Jayden Gashler’s two-run double and a sacrifice fly by Brogan Allen. It was 12-2 Indians.
That’s when the Camels rallied over the next three innings. Two Central errors, a bases-loaded walk, and a steal of home led to four runs for Campbell County. That made the score 12-6 after four innings of play. A sacrifice fly by Marissa West and Andrea Kuhbacher’s RBI single trimmed it to 12-8 in the fifth inning. Taylor Curtin’s RBI triple and Jadeyn Snyder’s RBI single in the sixth made it 12-10, Cheyenne Central.
Kuhbacher led off the seventh with a single. Then, Cheyenne Central’s Brogan Allen got a strikeout, a groundout, and a fielder’s choice, which was a comebacker to her, where she threw to third to get Kuhbacher who was tagged out. That ended the game and put the Indians into the championship on Saturday.
After the victory, WyoPreps caught up with Cheyenne Central manager Carrie Barker and first baseman Lauren Lucas.
Campbell County was led by Taylor Curtin, who had four hits, including a double and a triple, and an RBI. Avery Gray was the losing pitcher.
Cheyenne Central will play at 11 a.m. on Saturday against the winner of Campbell County and Kelly Walsh.