Beech Tree News Network

The Butler County Middle School softball team concluded its 2012 season with a fourth place finish last week in the Middle School State Tournament for Regions 1-4.  The end-of-season event was played at Buchanon Park in Bowling Green and was hosted by South Warren Middle School.

On Friday, September 28, the Bears came from behind to defeat longtime nemesis Owensboro Catholic.   Key hits by Madison Clark, Madilyn McKinney, and Olivia Jones (with the game winner) in the bottom of the fifth inning gave Butler the walk-off 3-2 victory.  Zoie Pendley earned the pitching win.

"This was a big win for us - we played well across the board and really earned this win," said BCMS coach John Embry.

On Saturday, BCMS lost to Warren East Middle School 10-2 in a tough outing for the Bears.  East used a potent offensive attack and took advantage of multiple errors to get the win.

BCMS next squared off against host South Warren.  The Bears fell behind early but rallied to tie the score and take the lead.  The game went to a tie-breaker when a triple by Kelsey Smith seemed to break open the game as the Bears took a 10-5 lead.  But, the Spartans came back to tie the game as BCMS failed to take advantage of multiple opportunities to win the game.  Finally, after eight innings, the Bears were able to squeeze out a 13-12 win.

"It wasn't necessarily a pretty win but we found a way to get it done," said Coach Embry.

Advancing to the semi-finals after the win over South Warren, Butler County's next opponent proved to be its last as the tired Bears faced a rested Marshall County team.  The Marshals pounded the ball en route to the 17-2 win.

Butler County took fourth place in the tournament.

BCMS team members who started in the state tournament include Madison "Boo" Clark (2B, 3B) Kesley Smith (3B, P), Zoie Pendley (P, 2B), Maddie McKinney (SS), Cheyenne White (CF, C), Haley Hope (LF), Ashlynn Brooks (C,CF), Olivia Jones (RF), and Tori McKinney (1B).  Reserve players for the state tournament were Delaney Embry, Shalyn Bratcher, Bailey Alford, Evyn Frazier, and Hannah Chaney. 

Other team members are Sydnee Cameron, Jessica Arnold, Amber Thacker, Ashley Thacker, and Chaney Brooks.

"Overall, we had a good year.  We were a better team at the end of the season than we were at the beginning," said Embry.  "I'm proud of how these girls battled all season and continued to improve." 

The fouth place finish is the farthest any BCMS softball team has advanced in the state tournament.  There were 12 teams in the tournament.