Garrard County Sports

---

Prather Plays On National Championship Team

By Danny Elam

2008 Garrard County High School graduate Kasie Prather can now call herself a national champion. Prather is a member of the St. Catherine College softball team that recently won the United States Collegiate Athletics Association national title. The Lady Patriots defeated Robert Morris - Springfield 6-4 in the championship name Saturday in Decauter, Illinois.

St. Catherine was ranked # 1 in the USCAA for much of the year and entered the national tournament as the number three seed. The Lady Patriots defeated Briarcliffe 2-0. Judson 7-4 and Robert Morris 5-4 before meeting the number one seeded Lady Eagles again in the title game.

Prather, the starting center fielder, was two for three in the championship game and played a big part in the come from behind win.

With St. Catherine down 4-2 entering the bottom of the seventh inning Prather got the rally started with a leadoff single and with the bases loaded Sharonda Mangan blasted a walk off grand slam to win the game.

“It is all just so exciting,” Prather said. “This is St. Catherine’s first national championship.”

St. Catherine is in a transition period from junior college to a a four year school and is a member of the NAIA but as a new school the Patriot and Lady Patriot teams are not eligible to compete in the NAIA post season. That is why St. Catherine competed in the USCAA, an organization of 75-80 small colleges that are not affiliated with any conference.

Prather hit a regular season .273 in her freshman year with three home runs and 14 runs batted in. She had a team high eight stolen bases.

The Lady Patriots end the year at 27-25.

---

Johnson - Barrett Lose In Quarterfinal

The Garrard County doubles team of Jonah Johnson and Tanner Barrett advanced to the quarterfinals of the 12th region Tennis Tournament over the weekend in Richmond and Berea.

The Garrard duo seeded # 5 defeated Dylan Jones and Neil Meacham of Madison Southern in the opening round and got past Danville's’ David McChesnie and Rollins Grubbs in round two before falling to the # 2 seeded team of Ryan Martin and Brad Jeffries in the quarters.

Garrard other doubles entry of Ethan Smith and Brandon Drew lost in the opening round as did the Lions two singles entries Eric Wall and Spencer Anderson.

Complete results Garrard players listed first:

Singles

Eric Wall lost to Ben Akers )Boyle County) 2-6. 3-6

Spencer Anderson lost to Sam Jackson (Berea) 2-6, 0-6

Doubles

Jonah Johnson-Tanner Barrett defeated Dylan Jones-Neil Meacham (Madison Southern) 6-0, 6-1

Johnson-Barrett defeated David McChesnie-Rollins Grubbs (Danville) 60, 6-1

Johnson-Barrett lost to Ryan Martin-Brad Jeffries (Casey County) 2-6, 0-6

Ethan Smith-Brandon Drew lost to Cody King-Stephen King (McCreary Central) 6-7 (1-7) 6-2, 3-6

---

Garrard Rolls Past Mercer 9-3

By Danny Elam

Jessica Speake pitched a complete game four-hitter and went four for five at the plate, driving in five runs to lead Garrard County to a 9-3 win last Thursday night at Mercer County.

Speake had a two-run single in Garrard’s four run sixth inning when the Lady Lions sent 10 batters to the plate. Sydney Pozzuto started the rally with a lead off double. Elizabeth Miller had a single and Hagan Goldey drove in a run with a base hit.

Goldey was also four for five and Pozzuto had two hits and a run batted in. Miller had two hits and scored two runs. Mallory McMaine had a pair of hits and scored twice.

Garrard 200 014 2 - 9 15 2
Mercer 020 001 0 - 3 4 3

Speake and Brit. Pingleton. Shewmaker and Elliott. WP Speake. LP Shewmaker. 2B Speake (G), Pozzuto (G), Shewmaker (M), Gibson (M).

---

Lady Lions Fall At Boyle County

By Danny Elam

Garrard County lost 4-1 last Tuesday at Boyle County its first loss to the Lady Rebels since 2004. Garrard has won nine straight over Boyle.

Garrard took a 1-0 lead in the third when Elizabeth Miller singled moved to third on a Hagan Goldey single and came in on a single by Jessica Speake.

Boyle answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning with the help of a pair of Garrard County errors.

The Rebels scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings again aided by Lady Lion miscues.

Hannah Miniard was the tough luck loser for Garrard allowing only three hits but was hurt by five Lady Lion errors.

Goldey had three hits for the Lady Lions.

Garrard 001 000 0 - 1 8 5
Boyle 002 110 x - 4 3 0

Miniard and R. Goldey. Davis and Ross. WP Davis. LP Miniard

---

Chamber Golf Scramble Gets Soggy

By Ted Cox

The Garrard County Chamber of Commerce hosted their 2009 golf scramble last Wednesday despite the wet conditions.

“That’s the second wettest round I’ve ever played,” Chamber President Tom Hobbs said.

The team coming in with the lowest gross total of shots in the 18 holes was Garrard County Economic Development, consisting of Nathan Mick, Tom Campbell, Derek Tingle and Hobbs.

“Fourteen-under was a good score in those conditions, but more importantly everyone contributed,” Hobbs said. “And it’s always enjoyable to be on a golf course with good friends.”

Runner-up for lowest gross was Lincoln Ready Mix.

The low-net score champion was the team Still Trying followed by Stuart Powell Ford/Mazda.

Winning the closest to pin challenges were Tommy Noe on the fourth hole winning a putter donated by Ross Tarrant Architecture, George Allen on the seventh winning one dozen Callaway golf balls donated by Branscum Construction and two rounds of golf donated by Old Bridge Golf Course, Hobbs on the fifteenth winning one dozen Titleist golf balls donated by the Garrard County Chamber of Commerce and two rounds of golf donated by Peninsula Golf Resort and Bill Ledford with a hole-in-one on the thirteenth hole to win a $50 gift certificate from Mariachis Mexican Restaurant.

Ledford had originally planned to play his seven iron on the hole, but due to a bit of stiffness from the damp conditions he decided to play a five iron instead and swing a bit easier. “I thought they were lying to me when they told me it went in,” he said.

Ledford was admittedly shaken up by the occurrence.

“When I walked up there and saw my ball in the cup, I got weak in the knees,” Ledford said. “Some people can play their whole lives without getting a hole-in-one. It’s indescribable.

“I guess all the planets were just right. But I was glad to do it on a home course amongst friends.”

The long drive champion was Rob Canaster winning a $100 gift certificate from Wal-Mart in Danville. The door prize of one free night at Hampton Inn of Danville was awarded to B.J. Baird.

The Chamber of Commerce would like to thank Sean Cundiff, tournament director, the Events Committee of the Chamber Board and all sponsors and participants.

“This year’s event won’t be forgotten anytime soon,” Hobbs said.

---