Mantachie tops Booneville, advances to North half final
MANTACHIE – A battle of familiar opponents on Monday night came with far more at stake than either of their past four meetings. In the end, the home team kept level heads.
Mantachie used a pair of late runs to beat Booneville 2-0 in Game 3 of their Class 3A third-round series.
“We played a little looser tonight,” Mantachie coach Kristi Montgomery said. “We played really uptight (in Game 2) on Saturday. I think they put so much pressure on themselves on Saturday to win that we just didn’t play well under pressure, and we don’t ever play very well under pressure, so the looser we stay, the better.”
Much like the last few meetings, Ramsey Montgomery and Olivia Garrett were locked in a pitchers duel, but a breakthrough came in the bottom of the fifth.
With a runner on second and two outs, Lillianna Cates lined a single into right field to put the Mustangs ahead 1-0.
When stepping into the batter’s box, Cates kept in mind that it wasn’t just for her.
“This is for my team and the glory of God,” she said. “I had to think that as I was stepping in and let it all go and just know that there was a plan and no matter what I wanted, the plan was going to happen.”
Blayne Sturgeon hit a sac fly in the sixth to make it 2-0.
Booneville (19-13-1) kept fighting in the top of the seventh. An error and a single brought the go-ahead run to the plate with one out.
However, Ramsey Montgomery, who was named Class 3A’s Miss Softball hours before the game, did what she does best. The senior struck out Greenlee Hodges, then got Claire Gardner to pop out and end it.
“We just needed a couple of hits right there at the end, and we just didn't get them,” Booneville coach Jessica Taylor said. “We just didn’t get the job done.”
The loss ended a dominant multi-year run for the Blue Devils. They went into this season as the three-time defending 3A state champions.
The Mustangs (29-5) advanced to the North half final, where they face Kossuth with a ticket to state on the line.
Extra Bases
Big Inning: Allie Ensey reached in the bottom of the fifth on a dropped fly ball in center field. Her courtesy runner, Kaylee Inghram, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on Cates' single.
Big Stat: Mantachie went 1 for 5 with runners in scoring position. Booneville went 1 for 7.
Coach Speak: “Here’s where we wanted to get to, so we’re going to go play, relax and see what happens on the field.” – Kristi Montgomery’s message to Mantachie ahead of the North half finals.
