The Carmi-White County Lady Bulldog Softball team defeated the Benton Rangerettes by a final score of 11-1 in 6 innings in the IHSA 2A Benton Regional Semifinals.
Benton could not have started the game off any better. A lead-off triple followed by an RBI double put the Rangerettes in front 1-0 heading into the bottom of the 1st.
Benton’s offense was quickly overshadowed by Carmi’s offense. Despite having 13 days off since they last played, the Lady Bulldog bats were on fire.
A lead-off single by Audrey Upton was quickly followed by a 2-run home run by Mara Serafini to put Carmi in front 2-1. 3 batters later, CWC scored again when Caroline Simmons drove in Alayna Johnson. The Lady Dogs led 3-1 after the 1st inning.
After the back-to-back hits by Benton to begin the game, Audrey Upton would retire the next 10 Rangerettes who came to the plate, completely shutting down their offense.
After a 1-2-3 top of the 2nd, Carmi scored 2 more times in the bottom of the 2nd thanks to an RBI Single by Addi Elliott that scored Audrey Upton. Elliott would later come in to score on a wild pitch. CWC led 5-1 after 2.
The Lady Bulldogs scored 2 more times in the bottom of the 3rd. Caroline Simmons drove in another with an RBI single that scored Kassi Milligan. Simmons would score on a sacrifice fly by Mia Evans, extending Carmi’s lead to 7-1 after 3.
Back-to-back triples to lead off the bottom of the 4th inning by Audrey Upton and Addi Elliott plated another run for CWC, then an RBI single by Mara Serafini made it a 9-1 CWC lead after 4 innings of play.
Neither team scored in the 5th, but after Addi Elliott worked a walk in the bottom of the 6th, Mara Serafini ended the ballgame with a 2-run walk-off home run to extend Carmi’s lead to 11-1, and effectively end the game via the 10-run rule.
On the mound, Audrey Upton was lights-out after a shaky 1st inning.
Upton: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
At the plate,
Audrey Upton: 3-for-4, 3B, 2B, 3 R
Addi Elliott: 2-for-3, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
Mara Serafini: 3-for-4, 2 HR (4,5), 5 RBI, 2 R
Alayna Johnson: 1-for-3, R
Kassi Milligan: 1-for-3, 2B, R
Caroline Simmons: 2-for-3, RBI, R
Mia Evans: 0-for-2, RBI
Kadie Simmons: 1-for-3
Carmi-White County improves to 15-8 on the season as they advance to the Regional Championship Game on Friday to face the Hamilton County Lady Foxes.
CWC has already defeated Hamilton County twice this year by scores of 9-0 and 7-3.
The Lady Bulldogs look to win their first regional championship since 2016. That season they were led a dominant Division I pitcher, who just so happens to now be the head coach… Kaylea (Chappelle) Stubblefield.
