By Mike McGinnis

The Goreville High School softball team came up short in its bid to repeat as Class 1A state champions by losing to Toledo Cumberland, 8-4, in the semi-finals on Friday.  However, the Lady Blackcats defeated Glasford-Illini Bluffs 13-6 on Saturday to claim the third place trophy.

Against Cumberland on Friday, Goreville had a 1-0 lead until the Lady Pirates scored three runs in the top of the third.  In the bottom of the frame, a double by Sydnee Rushing, a single by Brittney Pritchett and a Taylor Odom home run put the Lady Blackcats back in front 4-3. The score stayed that until Cumberland scored four runs in the top of the sixth to retake the lead at 7-4, then added a run in the seventh to make the final margin.

Sydnee Rushing pitched the complete game, allowing seven hits. Goreville had nine hits and committed two errors.

Top hitters for Goreville: Darnell 1-3 (RBI); Odom 1-2 (HR, 3 RBI); Pritchett 2-4; Rushing 3-4.

In Saturday’s third place match-up with Illini Bluffs, the Lady Blackcats broke a scoreless tie with a run in the top of the fourth inning.  They scored three more runs in the top of the fifth before Illini Bluffs got on the board with a run in the bottom of the frame to make it 4-1. Goreville had a big top of the sixth, scoring five runs to push its lead to 9-1.  Illini Bluffs answered with a pair of runs in its half of the sixth to narrow the gap to 9-3.  The Lady Blackcats plated four more runs in the seventh, then Illini Bluffs closed out the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the inning  to make the 13-6 final margin.

Sydnee Rushing went the distance in the circle to pick up her 16th win of the season.

Top hitters for Goreville: Odom 3-5 (HR, 5 RBI); Pritchett 3-5 (2 RBI); Rushing 2-4; Schaede 4-5 (2 RBI); A. Webb 1-4 (3 RBI).