MONROE — South Rockwood retired Sadie Lusky on a hard liner to first base in her first at-bat.
Lusky never made another out in leading defending champion Ida to an 11-1 victory in the winners’ bracket finals of the 52nd annual Monroe County Fair Softball Tournament on Tuesday, July 14.
Lusky went 4-for-5 with a double and drove in four runs.
“I am really, really proud of her,” said her father and coach Travis Lusky. “She’s been lights out.”
Sadie Lusky’s first hit was the biggest blow of the afternoon.
She came up with the bases loaded in the third inning and ripped a double that brought home two runs.
“That was our catalyst,” Travis Lusky said. “It showed the girls that we could do it.”
Elsie Burhart and Evelyn Daniel singled home runs later in the inning to make it 4-0.
Ida would add three runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and three in the sixth.
Ella Derian also finished 4-for-5 with a double, Palmer Albring collected a trio of hits and Burhart added two.
That was more than enough for Ida’s 1-2 pitching punch of Logan Everett and Lusky.
Everett gave up just one baserunner during her three innings in the circle. Lusky struck out five and gave up an unearned run.
“We’ve got a good team,” coach Lusky said. “These girls are scrappy.”
Violet Linzell drove in South Rockwood’s run. Eliott Duffy, Sophia Piepsney and Piper Cadogan had hits.
Ida advances to the finals at 4 p.m. Thursday. A second if-necessary game, would be played immediately afterwards.
South Rockwood will play Whiteford at 4 p.m. Wednesday for the right to face Ida in the finals.
Whiteford eliminated Mason with a 13-0 romp in Tuesday’s second game.
Emma Houghtaling improved to 10-for-10 with a walk in the tournament with another perfect game at the plate, including a home run.
Ana Ovall is hitting .857 in the tourney while Isabella Hutchinson and Brynn Ovall both stand at .750.
Josie Fischer, Houghtaling and Mariah Lucht combined to toss a shutout.
MONDAY’S GAMES
Whiteford 15, Monroe 3
Ava Ovall collected four hits and drove in five runs to lead Whiteford.
Emma Houghtaling tripled home a run in the opening inning, then scored on a home run by Ovall.
Kenzleigh Williams capped the inning with a two-run single.
Houghtaling finished with three hits and tossed two shutout innings to close out the win.
Williams had two hits.
Scarlett Egan doubled home a run for Monroe.
Mason 14, Dundee 4
Mya King went 3-for-3 and scored three runs for Mason.
Maddison King, Ava Nehrig, Parker Brighton and Rylie Liford touched the plate two times each.
FAIR SOFTBALL
RESULTS-SCHEDULE
Sunday, July 12
Monroe 16, Dundee 4
Ida 12, Whiteford 2
Mason 11, Frenchtown 10
South Rockwood 11, Monroe 1
Ida 15, Mason 0
Frenchtown 20, Whiteford 6
Monday, July 13
Mason 14, Dundee 4, 4 p.m.
Whiteford 15, Monroe 3, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, July 14
Ida 11, South Rockwood 1
Mason vs. Whiteford, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15
South Rockwood vs. Whiteford, 4 p.m.
Thursday, July 16
Finals: Ida vs. South Rockwood or Whiteford, 4 p.m. (second game 6 p.m. if necessary)
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Ida rolls over South Rockwood to return to finals of Fair Tournament
Reporting by Niles Kruger, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Niles Kruger, The Monroe News | USA TODAY Network
