“It was a fun game to be involved with,” said Shawnee coach Chris Roberts. “Tipp City — that team can hit. They can really hit. I was proud of the way our girls hung in there.”
Braves senior Reagan Simpson went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs and Huxley went to 2-for-5 as Shawnee improved to 20-4. The Braves advanced to face Eaton, a 7-2 winner over Brookville, in a district final game at 5 p.m. Friday at Northmont High School.
With the score tied at four in the bottom of the 10th inning, Huxley singled to start the inning. She advanced from first to third base on a bunt by junior Megan Kelly.
“I was looking (at third) and there was literally no one moving towards third,” Huxley said. “I’m not very fast, but I thought I could make it because there was nobody there.”
Ross, the Braves No. 3 hitter, stepped to the plate with the game on the line.
“I didn’t even want a hit, I just wanted to put something in the outfield so we could score,” Ross said. “At this point, I just wanted a run.”
Tippecanoe took a 2-0 lead on a home run by junior Katelyn Husic in the first inning.
“That could deflate a team really fast and we didn’t even flinch,” Roberts said.
In the third inning, Shawnee tied the score. Huxley smashed her second home run of the season to pull the Braves with one run. After a two-out walk to Ross, Braves senior Taylor Cox singled on a ground ball to third base scoring her teammate from second base.
Shawnee reclaimed the lead in the sixth inning. Braves senior Alise Moneypenny singled to open the inning. With two outs, Braves senior Reagan Simpson smashed a home run to center, giving the Braves a 4-2 lead.
“It was about a 1.5-second hit,” Roberts said. “That thing was gone.”
Tippecanoe tied the score in the seventh inning. Sophomore Ally Broering and senior Sidney Unger each singled and junior Ashley Aselage hit a two-out double to left field, tying the game at 4-4.
Shawnee senior pitcher Hannah Beers faced 44 batters in the game, striking out nine with two walks on 144 pitches.
“She hung there,” Roberts said. “We faced the top of the order in the 10th and we put’em down 1-2-3.”
The Braves were able to hold off the Red Devils until they were able to break through for a run in the 10th inning. Tippecanoe finished its season 19-8.
“When it was crunch time, these girls came through,” Roberts said.
It was the second straight walk-off win for the Braves. Shawnee senior Taylor Cox singled in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Northwestern 3-2 on May 13.
After missing last season to the COVID-19 pandemic and falling short in the 2019 district tournament, the Braves hope to keep winning, Ross said.
“I just don’t want it to be over,” she said. “We want to win districts and keep it going.”
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