C1D1SB: Holcomb rallies for dramatic 10-9 W over South Pemiscot

The Holcomb High School softball team poses after beating South Pemiscot in the MSHSAA Class 1 District 1 championship game on Monday at Holcomb.

Tom Davis ~ TDavis@semoball.com

HOLCOMB – In a game that featured an abundance of dramatic moments, in the end, it was a very talented and experienced Holcomb High School softball squad that was able to survive a fierce battle put forth by an upstart South Pemiscot program on Monday in the championship game of the MSHSAA Class 1 District 1 Tournament at Holcomb.

The host Hornets rallied from a three-run deficit with one out to prevail 10-9 and win the program’s third District title in four springs.

“These (five) seniors,” veteran Holcomb coach Matt Casper said following the win, “three of them have Final Four experience. Being at that level, and being through these types of situations before, their composure is better.”

It needed to be, because the Bulldogs, who won more games this season than any South Pemiscot squad in memory, were not leaving town easily.

South Pemiscot (13-15) led 3-0 in the opening inning, rallied for a 5-4 lead in the fourth and a 7-6 lead in the sixth, got out of a difficult jam in the bottom of the sixth, and took a 9-6 lead into the final Hornet at-bat.

“We’ve come a long way this season,” third-year South Pemiscot coach Lance Crawford said following the game. The girls have worked hard.

“I know Holcomb practices hard and works hard, but I challenge that anybody was out there more, and that shows over time.”

In the opening week of this season, Holcomb (24-4) smoked South Pemiscot 18-3, however, the Bulldogs fought the Hornets to a 4-3 margin in late April. That growth in ability and confidence was evident throughout Monday’s game.

“Here in the last couple of weeks,” Crawford said, “it has really come together. You can tell by the scores and the results of the games that we played.”

The Bulldogs took a 9-6 lead as juniors Ayleighonna Farmer and Mataiya Phillips hit singles and sophomore Phoenix Simmons was walked intentionally, with Farmer and Simmons eventually reaching home.

In the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Ella Lemings and freshman Addison Elliott each reached on singles to open the inning, which was followed by senior Jules Gurley drawing a walk to load the bases.

With one out, a Bulldog miscue allowed Ella Lemings to pull her team to within 9-7, which was followed by sophomore Ava Gurley scoring Elliott (9-8 South Pemiscot lead) on a hit to center field.

“We were patient at the plate,” Casper said. “Their pitcher was struggling. We had to find a way to keep the wheel going and get on base.”

With bases loaded, South Pemiscot senior pitcher Abigail Edwards walked Hornet senior Katelyn Danley to tie the game, and Crawford, now desperate to save his team’s season, had to do something he deemed “impossible.”

Crawford brought Simmons in relief of Edwards, and her task was to try and get one of the best softball players in all of Southeast Missouri – Holcomb senior Maleigh Lemings – out at the plate.

“When I went out (to the mound),” Crawford explained, “I said ‘Look, this is impossible.’

“I told her to try and throw a strike, and (Simmons) has a great change-up, so I told her don’t show her your change-up during warm-ups. But she was around the plate.”

Simmons tried to do what Edwards had all game, which was to entice the Holcomb hitters into swinging at pitches just out of the strike zone, which didn’t work.

Maleigh Lemings, who had two hits, including a home run, and a pair of intentional walks, took the four pitches and brought home pinch-runner sophomore Katelyn Sweaney to extend the Holcomb season into the Class 1 Quarterfinal round on May 14 (opponent TBA).

“Three years ago,” Crawford said, “our girls would have been mad (at the final walk). Now, they are all together. When one of them fails, they all fail. It has taken a while to get here.”

Maleigh Lemings paced the Hornet offense with a run scored, two hits, two RBI, and three walks while Ava Gurley (two hits, one run, two RBI, one walk), Danley (two hits, one run, one RBI, one walk), junior Chloe Hendrix (one RBI), Ella Lemings (one hit, one run), Elliott (one hit, two runs, two walks), senior Jasmine White (two hits, one run, two walks), Jules Gurley (one walk), and Sweaney (one hit, two runs, one RBI) also contributed in the win.

Danley and Sweaney each hit doubles.

On the mound, Elliott started the game and allowed one hit, one earned run, and a walk, before freshman Khloe Furlow threw 3 2/3 innings of relief and gave up just two hits, one earned run, and struck out one.

Holcomb senior Jaden Bowen got the win with 2 1/3 innings of pitching, as she allowed two hits, one earned run, two walks, and struck out one.

Phillips led the Bulldogs with two hits, one run, and an RBI while Farmer (one hit, two runs, one walk), Simmons (two runs, one RBI, three walks), Edwards (one RBI), freshman Ma’Leah Duckworth (one RBI, one run, one walk), junior Mia Gonzalez (one hit, one walk), junior Ta’Kylah Wooden (two walks, two runs), junior Gracyn trammel (one hit, one RBI), and sophomore Jayleigh Leathers (one walk) were also productive.

Phillips hit a double and got hit by a pitch while Simmons and Wooden each had a pair of stolen bases.

Edwards worked 6 1/3 innings on the mound and gave up 11 hits and struck out one.