GLASGOW — Saturday was a continuation of a dominant weekend for the Shepherd softball team. The Fillies topped Florence 12-2 in six innings on Saturday to win the program's first State B/C softball title, doing so with a perfect 23-0 record.
"I'm just hoping we broke the seal into girls sports. Our volleyball program has been doing really well, being right on the brink and same with basketball," Shepherd head coach Lori Goodell said. "I'm hoping that these girls — they're multi-sport athletes — that they carry this into their senior year."
The Fillies scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, as Krista Dunn knocked a run in on a ground out and Aaryn Hardtke hit a frozen rope to left field to plate another.
Florence would make it 2-1 in the bottom of the second after scoring on a sacrifice bunt, but a Breelyn Fulton solo home run in the top of the third pushed the lead to 3-1.
Shepherd, though, got itself into trouble in the bottom of the third inning. Kaylee Crawford singled to right field but the Fillies threw the ball around the yard and allowed a leadoff walk to come around and score from first. Shepherd settled in from that point forward.
"They do a good job of (settling themselves)," Goodell said. "That's where we've grown a lot as a team. 'Keep things simple and make the plays that need to be made.'"
The Fillies blew the game open in the fourth inning, racking up six runs on six hits. Fulton's second home run of the day — a three-run shot over the left field wall — gave Shepherd an insurmountable 9-2 lead.
"We really wanted it last year and it just didn't happen for us, but we came back and did a good job of holding it together and finishing this time," Fulton said.
"One through nine, you never know. They're going to show up and they know how to battle," Goodell said of her lineup. "These girls have a lot of grit. Putting up those runs is awesome and it takes pressure off the pitching, which is huge."
The Fillies out-scored their four opponents at the state tournament 49-4 and didn't once play a game that lasted a full seven innings. Shepherd's roster features no seniors, either.
