By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's softball team is headed to the Class 6A state semifinals for the fifth time in six years and its first semifinal under first-year Junior Blues coach Joy Marie Galliart after No. 6-seeded Rural took a 2-1 first-round win over No. 3 Blue Valley West Thursday at Arrocha Ball Park in Lawrence.
Washburn Rural junior Avery Rupp is congratulated by Junior Blues coach Joy Marie Galliart after her third-inning home run put Rural in front 1-0 in Thursday's 2-1 Class 6A state tournament win over Blue Valley West. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Sophomore Reagan Chapman knocked in what proved to be the game-winning run in Thursday's 2-1 Washburn Rural win over Blue Valley West in the Class 6A state tournament. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
With Thursday's win the 19-7 Junior Blues advanced to an 11 a.m. Friday semifinal against No. 2 seed Olathe Northwest and will be looking for their fourth trip to the 6A championship game over the past six seasons.
Washburn Rural never trailed in Thursday's first-round game after junior Avery Rupp hit a solo home run to left field in the top of the third inning.
The Junior Blues added what proved to be the game-winning run in the top of the fifth when sophomore Reagan Chapman singled to center field to score junior Salah Williams, giving Washburn Rural a 2-0 lead.
Senior Makayla Ekis turned in a complete-game pitching performance in Thursday's 2-1 Washburn Rural state tournament win over Blue Valley West. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Blue Valley West (22-7) got on the board with a run in the late innings but Washburn Rural senior pitcher Makayla Ekis closed out her complete-game performance to pick up the win.
Washburn Rural senior Gabby Martinez (right) is congratulated by Rural pitcher Makayla Ekis after turning a line-out into a double play in the Junior Blues' 2-1 state tournament win over Blue Valley West. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Layla Collins (middle) is congratulated by her teammates after recording the final out in the Junior Blues' 2-1 state tournament win over Blue Valley West. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
The Junior Blues got defensive gems from senior Gabby Martinez, who turned a lineout into a double play, and junior Layla Collins, who made a clutch grab in left field.
Olathe Northwest (21-4), which lost to Rural in the semifinals last season, advanced with a 9-4 win over No. 7 Blue Valley (17-12).
On the other side of the bracket, No. 8 Olathe South (15-14) will face No. 5 Campus (17-6) in the 1 p.m. semifinal.
Olathe South knocked off top seed Derby 8-6 on Thursday in the opening round while No. 5 Campus took an 11-1 win over No. 4 Free State.
The 6A title game is set for 5 p.m. on Friday, following the 3 p.m. third-place game.
