After a stretch of eight-straight victories, Bourbon High School’s softball team finally lost on April 17 to Central (Park Hills). The Lady Warhawks are now 8-3 on the year after winning both games of a high scoring double header on April 13 over Stoutland in Dixon before falling to Central.

Bourbon returned to action on April 20 to play a road game in Steelville, which starts a busy week of a competition for the Blue and White. The Lady Warhawks will host Grandview (Hillsboro) on April 22 for a doubleheader and will then compete in the Salem Softball Classic on April 24 and April 25 at Salem High School. All of those games will be detailed in next week’s edition.

Bourbon will then begin the final stretch of its season with a home game versus Licking on April 28, a road matchup on April 30 in Potosi before hosting Houston on May 4 for its regular-season finale.

Lady Warhawks win slugfests over Stoutland, Dixon

Bourbon hosted a doubleheader against Stoutland and Dixon and runs were plenty in both matchups. The Lady Warhawks were without starting third baseman and cleanup hitter Ella Biles, but Randy Payne’s bunch were able to step up in her absence.

Against Stoutland, Bourbon got out to a 3-0 lead after two innings. After both teams went scoreless in the third inning, the offense erupted in the fourth and fifth innings.

Stoutland scored a pair in the top of the fourth and Bourbon responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 7-2 lead heading into the fifth frame. Stoutland quickly rebutted with five runs, highlighted by an opposite field home-run blast from sophomore Emma Rogers.

But the Lady Warhawks didn’t rattle, answering with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to regain their lead. Bourbon added one more in the sixth inning and senior pitcher Annalise Gobin settled down and pitched a scoreless final two innings to give the Blue and White a 12-7 victory.

Sophomore Lauryn Hercules topped Bourbon in hits, runs batted in and stolen bases and tied freshman Brynn Miller and sophomore Arianna Barhouse with three runs scored. Hercules roped a triple and a pair of singles, stole four bases and knocked in four runs. Junior second baseman Hailie Kahmke singled twice, drove in a pair of runs and stole two bases. Sophomore Kinzey Waldron laced a double and Barnhouse singled and walked twice.

Gobin pitched all seven innings for Bourbon. striking out 13 Stoutland batters to earn the victory. All seven runs she gave up were unearned. Gobin added two runs batted in and a stolen base to her productive matinee game.

The Lady Warhawks then had minimal time to relax before taking on Dixon, who had been warming up during the Stoutland game. Bourbon showed that they’re well conditioned and full of energy, as the Blue and White found themselves in another shootout. 

The Lady Warhawks scored six runs in the first two innings and looked like they could be on their way to a run-rule victory. Dixon had other ideas and scored six in the third frame to tie the game. Both teams then traded blows, as Bourbon added three in the bottom of the third and Dixon scored three in the top of the fourth to knot the game at nine. 

The Lady Warhawks kept their feet on the gas and added five unanswered runs to take a 14-9 lead until the final inning. Gobin, who pitched the first six innings after hurling a complete game earlier in the day, was taken out of the game for freshman Savanna Vance, who had been catching.

Dixon rallied for four runs in the final frame but Vance was able to bear down and get the final outs as Bourbon escaped with a 14-13 victory for its eighth-straight win.

Bourbon used a balanced attack to put 14 runs across the plate. Five Lady Warhawks collected two base hits throughout the offensive onslaught.

Kahmke doubled, tripled, stole a base, drove in two runs and scored four times to lead the way. Vance tripled, singled and scored and Waldron and Hercules each singled twice and swiped a pair of bases. Freshman Brianna Bouse collected a pair of base hits, scored once and drove in a run. Gobin deserved an ice bath and a good meal after fanning seven Dixon batters and finishing the doubleheader with a herculean effort of 20 total strikeouts and 224 pitches thrown.

Dixon sophomore Gabriella Roy pitched all six innings, collecting 11 strikeouts, and added two base hits, three runs scored and one run batted in at the plate.

Bourbon’s winning streak ends against Central (Park Hills)

Two teams playing their best collided in Bourbon when the Central Lady Rebels came into town. Central was riding a five game winning streak and the Lady Warhawks brought a six-game streak of their own into the ball game.

The Lady Rebels struck first, plating three in the first and two in the second inning to take an early 5-0 lead.

Bourbon battled back, adding two runs in the fourth and fifth innings to narrow the gap. But Central scored one in the fifth and two in the sixth innings and the Lady Warhawks were held scoreless in the final two frames as Central emerged with a 8-4 win to extend their winning streak to six, ending Bourbon’s streak at the same number. 

The Lady Warhawks were plagued by four errors in the field, which led to five unearned runs and the difference in the scoreboard. 

Waldron singled, doubled and knocked in a run to lead Bourbon. Lady Warhawk cleanup hitter Ella Biles returned to play after being on a field trip and singled, drove in a run and scored. Kahmke singled, walked, stole a base and scored a run and Hercules singled and scored to round out Bourbon’s offensive production. Gobin hurled all seven innings, giving up three earned runs while striking out nine Lady Rebels.

Central freshman Vivian Sisk pitched all seven innings, striking out 12 Lady Warhawks, Junior shortstop Lauren Husley doubled twice and drove in three runs to lead the Lady Rebels.