ONE LAST RIDE. From left to right, seniors Ava Declue, Evvie Blankenship, Dorie Richardson and Molly Lohden will make their final trips to Springfield. Photo by Wyatt Hardy
HANG IT IN THE RAFTERS. Dorie Richardson holds the district plaque after the championship. Photo by Extra Innings Photography
CLASS 3 DISTRICT 2 CHAMPS. The Lady Eagles soared past St. Clair and Ursuline Academy in ten-run shutouts to win the district title. Photo by Wyatt Hardy
AVA DECLUE has tossed 38 strikeouts in the postseason so far. Photo by Wyatt Hardy
HYPED UP LIKE NO OTHER. Assistant coach Heidi Blankenship (left) congratulates Evelynn Harris (right) with a chest bump after reaching first base. Photo by Wyatt Hardy
DORIE RICHARDSON. Photo by Wyatt Hardy
Softball Crowned District Champs
The Lady Eagles returned to winning their first district title in three years on Monday, Oct. 21.
McKynlee Peterson broke the drought with her walk-off RBI in the bottom of the sixth. Rae Corwin punched in Sullivan’s final score to rout Ursuline Academy (5-13) 10-0 for the Class 3 District 2 Championship.
Immediately after, the team raced out of the dugout and dogpiled Peterson near first base. A tradition they were eager to prove had never graduated.
Seniors Dorie Richardson, Ava Declue, Evvie Blankenship and Molly Lohden won their second district title with Sullivan. Their last was in 2021 when the Lady Eagles finished third in Class 3.
Richardson dominated at bat, tallying two scores, including a home run. She also recorded 2 RBIs, a stolen base and two hits.
Declue logged three hits and a walk at the plate. She was a force on the mound and struck out a career-high 15 batters. The senior only surrendered a hit and a walk.
Blankenship played lights out with three hits, 2 RBIs and a run.
Rae Corwin racked up two runs, a hit for a triple, an RBI and a stolen base.
Peterson delivered two hits, a run, an RBI, a stolen base and a hit for a double.
Ella Blanton balled out with two hits, a run and an RBI.
The Lady Eagles last faced the Bears in the district semifinal in 2023. They blanked them by seven runs to advance to the championship.