Rossville softball wins 2nd state title in program history behind Brinley Dyche's shutout

The No. 6 seeded Rossville softball team (20-4) defeated No. 5 Santa Fe Trail (21-4) Friday in a defensive battle that ended 2-0 in favor of the Dawgs and the 3A state title.

After taking fourth at state last year, Rossville got revenge on the team that beat them in that year's consolation game.

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First state title win since 2000 for Rossville Dawgs

Rossville earned its second state title in program history on Friday, with the only other title coming 23 years ago.

Rossville may have come into the tournament ranked as the sixth team out of eight at the tournament, but the quality of opponents in the regular season showed Rossville could compete with the best of the best.

The Dawgs had already swept their state title foes earlier in their second series of the year with a combined score of 21-3 in the two games.

Two losses to rival Silver Lake in early April started the only lull for Rossville where it went 3-4.

But the Dawgs ended the season with momentum, winning six straight to close the regular season, including splitting a series with eventual 4A state champion Wamego and getting revenge over Silver Lake in the regional title game to earn the state berth.

"We always like it when we're the underdog," said head coach John Nitsch when asked about his team's seed coming into state. "We don't care. We will just keep chopping away."

Junior Kinsey Perine echoed Nitsch's sentiments.

"Not at all," said Perine when asked if the team took offense to the No. 6 seed. "Last year at the state tournament, every first game in the state tournament was an upset. We know seeds don't matter. You have different schedules and just gotta go play your game."

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A two-run third inning on Friday for Rossville was the difference maker, the only runs scored in the game for either side.

"I figured if we got two up, if we kept pitching and playing defense, we'd (be able to) do it," said Nitsch. "We played them earlier in the year. They had problems squaring the ball up on our pitchers. So I felt good after we got two on (them)."

Perine was still speechless after the win.

"Amazing. I can't describe how I feel," said Perine. "Those are my best friends, and I wouldn't want to do to this with somebody else. I was just so happy for each and every one of them."

Defensively, the difference maker was a senior on the mound.

A complete game shutout from Brinley Dyche in the state title game

Rossville senior Brinley Dyche pitched a complete game against Santa Fe Trail after throwing the majority of the team's 6-4 semifinal win against No. 2 Southeast of Saline (22-3) earlier in the day.

"It was my last game ever. It was a great way to go out," said Dyche. "I got to end on a win."

Dyche said her arm was tired after a full day of throwing, but she said the adrenaline dulled the aches that will set in later.

Still elated after the win, she said a gamut of emotions ran through her mind after seeing the last out secured.

"Sad, happy, everything," said Dyche. "It kind of didn't feel real."

That win earlier in the day against Southeast of Saline also had two pivotal runs scored in an inning to give the team cushion that helped lead to a win, with Dyche coming on in relief of Katie Spielman.

"They just don't don't ever give up," said Nitsch. "We always talked about ups and down. We just gotta keep playing our games, and we can battle back from anything.

"Brinley is just incredible. She'll go toe to toe with anybody around. I'm gonna miss having her out there next year."

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Goals set, goals achieved for Rossville softball

Coming into this year, Rossville knew where it wanted to be at the end of the year after getting so close last year.

"Last year we came out and didn't perform the way we knew we could have," said Perine. "It just means everything that we came out this year, turned it around and turned it on. I'm so happy."

Dyche will graduate after this year but will remember this team for a long time.

"Just how close we were, how much of a family we were," said Dyche on what stands out about this group. "I wouldn't have wanted to do this with anybody else."

Nitsch said the goal was to get back to the state tournament and finish the job this year after losing in extra innings in their semifinal and consolation games last year.

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This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Rossville softball wins 3A state title against Santa Fe Trail