One loss to a good team wasn’t going to derail Bourbon’s softball season. After falling to Central (Park Hills) on April 17, the Lady Warhawks rattled off three straight blowout wins over Steelville and in a double header over Grandview (Hillsboro).

Bourbon then won two of three games in the Salem Softball Classic on April 25 to earn the tournament’s consolation championship. Ava High School won the tournament, Mountain Grove took second and Plato finished in third place.

The Lady Warhawks are now 13-4, already matching last year’s win total with three games remaining in the regular season before district play begins.

Bourbon will host Licking on April 28, travel to Potosi on April 30 before hosting Houston on May 4 for its regular-season finale. The Lady Warhawks will have a few days off before competing in the Class 2 District 3 Tournament in Potosi, which is scheduled to take place from May 7-14. Seeding and game times are still to be determined.

Lady Warhawks crush Steelville in three-innings

After falling to Central (Park Hills) on April 17 to snap its eight game winning streak, Bourbon looked ready to get back on track against the Steelville Lady Cardinals.

The Lady Warhawks had been in three straight seven-inning games heading into the matchup, and immediately showed that they wanted to head home early. Bourbon exploded for 14 runs in the first inning, 10 runs in the second and three in the third to pull away with a 27-2 victory in three innings.

Every Lady Warhawk starter reached base and scored at least once and the top-seven hitters in the lineup scored at least three times.

Ella Biles and Kinzey Waldron led Bourbon with three hits and four runs batted in apiece. Savanna Vance collected a pair of base hits, three runs batted in and scored a team-high five times. Lauryn Hercules singled twice, scored three times, stole a base and drove in three runs. Maddie Blanton, Arianna Barnhouse and Brynn Miller all drove in a pair of runs and Bree Bouse singled, scored and drove in a run.

Bourbon’s pitching ace, Annalise Gobin, hurled two hitless innings, striking out five before Biles pitched the third and final inning. 

Steelville was held hitless but Gracie Mae Boone walked twice and Hayleigh Parrett and Lizzy Warden each drove in a run for the Lady Cardinals.

Bourbon overpowers Grandview in doubleheader

The Lady Warhawks hosted a double header against the Grandview Lady Eagles after their first scheduled matchup on April 1 was postponed due to rain.

Bourbon’s bats brought their own rain in the pair of games, outscoring Grandview a combined 28-1 in the pair of games on their way to a couple victories in front of their friends and families.

In the first game, the Lady Warhawks seemed to ease into play before erupting in the third inning. Bourbon scored one in the first and two in the second before plating 12 runs in the third inning to pull away en route to a 16-1 win in four innings.

Gobin was dominant on the mound, striking out 10 Lady Eagles and allowing just one hit to earn the victory. At the plate, Gobin drove in a run, stole a pair of bases and scored once.

Biles led the Lady Hawks’ offense with three doubles and five runs batted in from the cleanup spot.

Hercules tripled, scored twice, stole a base and drove in a run. Hailie Kahmke reached base all three times she batted, scoring three times, swiping two bases, scoring once and driving in a run.

Savanna Vance, Waldorn, Miller and Bouse all scored twice and Miller also drove in two runs. Lady Eagles junior catcher Alli Grgurich roped a double for Grandview’s lone hit in the two games.

In game two, the Lady Warhawks scored slightly less, but flexed their muscles with a pair of home-run blasts that drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd.

Kahmke got the party started in the first, crushing a three-run homer to center field for her first four-bagger of the season.

Bourbon went on to plate five in the first inning and one in the second before adding a burst of runs in the third.

Waldron then joined the fun, roping a two-run shot over the center field fence for her second home run of the season to cap a six-run frame.

After Gobin pitched an immaculate first inning, striking out the side, Biles came on in relief, and was also practically untouchable. She struck out six Lady Tigers in four no-hit innings to combine with Gobin for a five-inning no-hitter as the Lady Hawks coasted to a 12-0 win.

Plato gets revenge on Bourbon

Because of the muddy field conditions, the original two-day Salem Softball Classic was made a one day event, where all games were played on April 25. Bourbon therefore had to play three games in one day, and fared admirably despite playing from dawn til dusk.

In the first round of the tournament, Bourbon drew Plato, the number-four ranked Class 1 team according to Ozark Sports Zone, for a rematch between the two schools.

The Lady Warhawks handed the powerhouse Plato Lady Eagles a 3-2 loss on April 6 in their first matchup of the season. Almost three weeks later, the Lady Eagles enacted revenge on Bourbon.

Plato pitcher, senior Taylor Utley was the story of the game, holding the potent Lady Warhawks lineup to just two runs, while striking out eight in six innings of action.

Plato’s offense plated one run in each of the first, second and fourth innings before piling up on three runs in fourth and one in the sixth to pull away with a 7-2 win.

Hercules singled, doubled, stole a pair of bases and scored a run and Biles collected a pair of singles, scored once and drove in a run to lead Bourbon. Waldron doubled and Vance singled to round out the Lady Warhawk’s offensive production.

Gobin hurled five innings, striking out seven Lady Eagles before Biles came on in relief for the final inning.

Plato’s leadoff hitter and third baseman, sophomore Maci Shalbot singled, walked and scored twice to anchor the Lady Eagles. 

Lady Warhawks coast past Steelville

Playing for the second time in a week and third time this season, Bourbon and Steelville collided in Salem and the results were similar to their first two matchups.

After Gobin held Steelville scoreless in the top of the first, Bourbon poured in 16 runs in the bottom of the first to immediately seize control of the game. Biles pitched the final two innings, striking out three Lady Cardinals as Bourbon moved on to the consolation finals with a 16-1 victory.

Bourbon only had three base hits, but showed patience at plate and speed on the base paths, walking 11 times and stealing seven bases in two innings at bat. Hercules stole three of those bases, Gobin swiped two and Barnhouse and Bouse each stole one.

One of the Lady Warhawks’ hits came on a three-run home run blast from Waldron. It was her second home run of the week and a team-high third home run of the season. She finished with four runs batted in to lead the Lady Warhawks. Biles singled twice, drove in three runs and scored twice to give Bourbon pop and productivity out of the cleanup spot. Nikki Jensen and Aribella Parker collected base hits for Steelville and Kaylee Pitts drove in Jensen for their lone run.

Gobin twirls shutout in win over Licking

Led by a dominant pitching performance from Gobin and a six-run fourth inning, the Lady Warhawks cruised to an 11-0 victory in five innings over the Licking Lady Wildcats to earn the consolation championship of the Salem Softball Classic. Gobin pitched all five innings, scattering just two hits and one walk, while striking out 11 Lady Wildcats to earn the win.

Biles doubled in all three times she came to bat, drove in three runs and scored once and Hercules tripled, singled twice, stole a base, drove in three runs and scored twice.

Gobin reached base three times, drove in a run, stole three bases and scored three times. Kahmke and Waldron each doubled, Vance singled and Bouse singled, scored twice and stole a base. Licking senior Mya Rinne and freshman Savana Evetts each singled for the Lady Wildcats’ only hits of the game.