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The Louisville Leopards finally took command in the tenth inning for a 14-10 victory over Lakota East on Saturday/Sunday in the Division I State Title Game.  The game was tied at ten with Louisville batting in the top of the tenth when Teagan Rice’s sac fly scored one run for the Leopards. Louisville once trailed in this game 7-2 in the 2nd inning.

Justina Sirohman led Louisville to victory by driving in five runs.  She went 3-for-6 at the plate.  Sirohman drove in her runs on a home run in the fourth, a double in the seventh, and a single in the tenth.

Lakota East fired up the offense early in the game, scoring in the first inning, when Sydney Larson doubled on a 2-2 count. However, all three of the first inning runs were unearned by Louisville’s starting pitcher Sarah Cantley.

The Thunderhawks then scored four runs in the second inning.  Cassidy Hudson, Abby Niehaus, and Ali Lewis all moved runners across the plate with RBIs in the inning.

Cantley picked up the win for Louisville. She surrendered ten runs on 16 hits over ten innings, striking out two.

Larson took the loss for Lakota. She lasted ten innings, allowing 18 hits and 14 runs while striking out five.

Louisville had four home runs in the game. Cantley had a dinger in the ninth inning. Sirohman put one out in the fourth inning. Shae Thomas had a pinch hit long ball in the sixth inning & Alex Fankhauser had a four bagger in the second inning.

Louisville racked up 18 hits on the day.  Kaycee Ollis, Cantley, Sirohman, Sydney McKeever, Lexi Zavarelle, and Fankhauser each had multiple hits for the Leps.  Sirohman, Cantley, and Ollis each collected three hits to lead Louisville to their first state championship in school history.

Lakota East racked up 16 hits.  Niehaus, Larson, Abby Beckham, Lewis, Hudson, Hailey Holtman, and Kylee West all managed multiple hits for the Thunderhawks. Louisville finishes the year 27-4, Lakota East suffered just their second loss of the year, as they fall to 30-2.