#2 Top Moment 2012-13: 7 Run Comeback Continues Softball Dynasty

Lady Leopards Clinch NBC Vs. West Branch

Louisville Lady Leopards Softball carried a 35-game conference winning streak into the May 9 contest against visiting West Branch. They had won the NBC Outright last the four seasons, had gone a perfect 14-0 against league foes in two of the seasons, and had defeated the Warriors in their 18 previous meetings.

But it almost all came crashing down in the second meeting of the year against West Branch. The Beatty's Sports Softball Shirt 2013Warriors pounded out 9 hits and took a 7-0 lead after an inning and a half. The date was marked early on in the season as a possible game that could clinch the NBC, but nobody had expected this.

While the road ahead seemed gloomy, the always chipper Annie Woolf boosted Louisville’s spirits. She delivered home runs in consecutive innings in helping the Lady Leopards cut the lead to 7-5 after three. Katie Cozy and Chandler Rice each delivered sacrifice RBIs to chip away at the lead as well.

An RBI double by Amy Hoover and RBI single by Shelby Swigert in the fourth inning trimmed the deficit to 8-7. Then the explosive Leopards loaded the bases to start the fifth frame. Jordan Monnot scored on a Brooke Cox sacrifice and Hoover drove in Keri Hupp to give Louisville a 9-8 advantage after five innings.

However, the Lady Leopards weren’t in the clear yet as West Branch’s Bailey McElwain blasted a solo homer to tie the game at 9-all. The game remained that way until the bottom of the seventh.

Monnot doubled to start the inning and two batters later Grace Jackson singled to left-center field. Monnot raced around third and stepped on home plate clinching the Lady Leopards fifth straight outright NBC Title. It was an unbelievable way to be crowned a champion again.

Louisville went on to defeat Canton South 16-1 and Marlington 16-0 to finish a perfect 14-0 in the NBC for the second straight year. No other NBC softball team has ever accomplished that feat and their 38-game league winning streak is the longest ever for any Louisville sports team. Under Chet Givens, the Lady Leopards are 107-29 (.787) overall and 66-4 (.943) against the NBC in five seasons.

Louisville went on to defeat Jackson 3-2 to advance to their first ever DI District Final. There they were tested against eventual state-champion North Canton Hoover who ended their season at 23-5. The NBC Dynasty Machine of Lady Leopards softball shows no signs of stopping in hopes of one day translating their success into a District Title.

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