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Arcanum's
Josie Weaver picks up one of the teams eight hits
on the night against Brookville.
The Trojans were eliminated in the
sectional title game 3-1 by the Blue Devils. CNO Photo by George Starks
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Brookville edges Arcanum for section title
Trojans finish with
19-5 mark
By George Starks
CLAYTON - Okay sports enthusiasts.
Question: How many times has this happened?
A team with a slightly better seasonal record upends the team with the
best record and considered the favorite to win… but loses in the end.
Answer: More times than we have fingers and toes.
This was the case scenario for Arcanum Monday in its sectional title
game with Brookville.
When the dust had settled at Clayton Northmont, the Blue-Devils had
pulled the rug out from under the feet of the Trojans, posting a 3-1
victory and the right to play for the district title.
“Give Brookville credit,” said Arcanum coach Rick Stone. “They beat us
tonight. They were the better team tonight but I can’t say they were
the better team. From the second inning on, we outplayed them but it
just wasn’t our night.”
Arcanum struck first in the opening frame when senior Allison Dill
singled to right, scoring Logan Stone from second, giving the Trojans
their only lead of the night.
A short lived lead at that.
Brookville answered in the home half of the first, putting up all three
of its runs on the night with the game deciding blow coming on a bases
loaded triple, with two out, by Kaycie McCarty.
“I’ll tell you right now, we out played them,” said Stone. “They got a
two out, bloop hit that was six inches outside. The girl (McCarty) put
het bat out there, hit it over our first baseman’s head, down the line,
scoring three. It was nothing more than that. We could play this team
ten time and beat them nine. Tonight was the tenth time.”
That would end all the scoring on the night but it wasn’t like the
Trojans didn’t have their chances to put runs on the board.
The biggest of those chanced coming in the fifth.
With one down, Tara Simpson and Stone got things going with back to
back singles followed by a walk to Josie Weaver to load the bases.
No one would cross as Dill would fly out to right and Shelby Howard
would end the threat by lining out to the pitcher.
“You can’t hit a ball any harder than what Shelby Howard hit it,” Stone
stated. “The pitcher knocked it down and threw her out. If that ball
gets through, we’re right back in the game. Unfortunately, it didn’t go
that way. The out was recorded and the threat was over.”
Arcanum would get one final shot at getting the victory in the seventh
when with two down, Stone would reach on an error with Weaver following
with a single.
The game would end there as Dill would hit a hard line shot to right
that would be hauled in, producing the 3-1 defeat.
“When we came to the plate in the seventh with two down, they pitched
around Logan Stone and Josie Weaver obviously and they reached,
bringing up Allison Dill.” Stone stated. “I told Allison to go up there
and have fun that no matter what happened, I loved her. I told her
she’s a great ball player and she hit a line shot to right. That’s just
the way it goes. Sometimes the ball bounces right into the other team's
hands.”
“Brookville’s a good team,” continued Stone. “I still say we’re a
better ball team, but today they got the breaks.”
With the loss, Arcanum finishes with a 19-5 mark.
It was also the final game for seniors Hannah Prestel, Katie Harmon and
Dill.
“I told the girls that only one team can win,” Stone remarked. “All
good things must come to an end and ours came a little too soon.”
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