Flanigan Hurls Shutout, Lady Leps Win 3rd Straight Sectional
Louisville 2, Green 0
Brittany Flanigan pitched a complete game shutout and struck out 7 to lead the Louisville Lady Leopards to their third straight Sectional Championship in defeating the Green Bulldogs 2-0. Chandler Rice and Emily Isla also delivered RBI singles during Louisville’s win at the Diamond of Dreams Thursday.
Even though the Lady Leps were looking stylish with their tournament bandannas, it was not the prettiest of games. Louisville still fought off the tournament butterflies with two timely hits, great pitching, and excellent defense.
Louisville began their half of the first inning with two quick outs before Katie Cozy ripped a double that bounced to the fence in center. Rice then found grass in shallow center that brought home Cozy from second for the first run of the contest. Rice finished 2-for-2 at the plate for the game.
Louisville’s first insurance run did not come until the fifth inning. Amy Hoover cracked a one-out base hit to center field. After Flanigan grounded out to advance Hoover to second, Isla stepped up to bat. After a timeout and a quick word with Head Coach Chet Givens, Isla laced a bloop single to right field that easily scored the speedy Hoover from second. 2-0 Louisville.
Flanigan’s pitching and Louisville’s defensive effort bailed them out of jams in the second and fourth innings. With runners on second and third and two outs, Flanigan got the next batter to whiff to end the second inning.
Payton Parks was again the Green player to reach third base after a lead-off double and an error on the next play 
to start the third inning. She finished with 2 of Green’s 3 hits for the evening. The Bulldogs had runners on first and third with nobody down. But then Julia Guyton hit a a ground ball to Annie Woolf at third base. Woolf threw home, the catching Isla stood strong, and she pressed the tag for the first out of the inning. Flanigan then helped herself by fielding a ground-out to first and the next hitter popped out to Cozy at short.
It wasn’t easy, but Louisville advanced with a 2-0 victory. It was the Leopards third victory against Green in a span of six days and the all-time series is now deadlocked at 3-3. They will try to defeat another team for the third time this season when they face Lake, who defeated Jackson 10-6, at 4:30 PM on Monday, May 14 in the District Semifinals at Massillon Community Park.
Other Massillon District Scores:
Perry 11, Massillon 7
Hoover 13, McKinley 4
Monday’s District Semifinals: Perry Vs. Hoover, Louisville Vs. Lake
PICTURES
Box Score
Team 123-456-7–R-H-E
Green 000-000-0–0-3-0
Louisville 100-010-0–2-7-1
Flanigan | 1-3 |
— Cox | 0-0 |
Isla | 1-3 | RBI
Cozy | 1-3 | 2B, Run
Rice | 2-2 | BB, RBI
Woolf | 1-3 |
Swigert | 0-3 |
Monnot | 0-3 |
Falcone | 0-2 |
Hoover | 1-2 | Run
Flex: Baumgarnder
Records: Louisville 23-3
NEXT UP: The Leps will next host the Canton South Wildcats on Friday, May 11 at 4:30 PM. The Seniors will be honored on Senior Night prior to the game and JV will host the Wildcats during the same time.
