Calista Collins didn’t get much of a chance to bat in Lyon County’s semifinal win over Livingston Central Monday. She made up for it Tuesday with a walk-off home run in the eighth inning to give the Lady Lyons a 1-0 win over Trigg County and claim the Fifth District softball title.
Livingston opted to intentionally walk Collins three times Monday. A fourth time saw her hit a bases loaded sacrifice fly in a 6-2 win.
Collins entered Tuesday’s title game 3-of-7 this year against Trigg County’s Hannah Colbert but had not hit a home run against the Lady Wildcats. That changed in the eighth inning when she led off by smacking an 0-2 pitch over the fence. She finished the game with three hits, needing just a triple for the cycle.
Colbert had locked into a pitcher’s duel with Lyon County’s Kaelyn Conger. While Colbert allowed six hits and struck out nine batters, Conger was even better. The Lady Lyon sophomore pitched a no-hitter. She didn’t walk a batter and struck out eight. She retired the first ten batters before Autumn Durham reached on an error. Conger then retired the final 14 batters she faced.
Gracen Wynn added a pair of hits, and Rachel Coursey had a single.
The district title is the third in four years for Lyon County, who improved to 24-12 on the season. The loss denied Trigg County (17-16) its first title since the move to fast pitch in 1995. It was the fifth straight game for the Lady Wildcats decided by two runs or less. Trigg is 2-3 in those games.
Both teams will begin play in the Second Region Tournament Monday at Webster County High School.
