G-A softball falls to Daniel Boone District 3 playoffs

Daniel Boone, the 11th-ranked softball team in District 3 Class 5A, was rumored to be a top-notch team, despite what the rankings showed. 

Tuesday, the Blazers proved it, knocking off No. 6 Greencastle-Antrim 2-1 to advance to the second round of the District 3 Class 5A playoffs on Tuesday afternoon.

Boone will play Donegal on Thursday in the second round. 

Daniel Boone struck first in the top of the fourth inning with a walk and a fielders choice, followed by an RBI single hit by Cara Shackelford. The Blazers added another run in the top of the sixth to pull ahead 2-0.

Greencastle showed life in the bottom of the sixth. The Blue Devils put runners on first and second, followed by a single up the middle by Ally Brown, but Boone centerfielder Sydney Hayes came up with a lightning throw to beat the runner home. 

Daniel Boone continued throughout the day to give a little, and then take it back.

Hayes' work in center kept the Blue Devils off balance thanks to a few game-altering plays throughout.

“We knew she had a pretty strong arm from the scouting reports," G-A coach Mark DeCarli said. "That was a heck of a throw home. She was a game changer out there, when you have a center fielder that has a rocket, it certainly takes away from what we wanted to do.”

In the bottom of the seventh, trailing 2-0, the Blue Devils again threatened to turn the game on its head.

Starting with singles from Jenna Carty and Mackenzie Oberholzer, the Blue Devils loaded the bases with no outs. 

Morgan Wagaman hit a single to bring a runner home, but the Blue Devils could not bring another across the plate. 

Daniel Boone again, gave a little and took it back.

The Blue Devils finished their season 15-7.