Introduction

Opening round of Regionals bats off with the Jackson Heights Cobras taking on the Co-op team, Centralia/Frankfort Panthers, in the third game at the Wabaunsee Regionals. The game was projected to start at about four-thirty, but had a start time of three-fifty followed with low winds and not a cloud in the sky. The Cobras came in as the third seed at 11-7 and the Panthers came in 7-11 as the 6th seed. However these teams had actually met up at the beginning of the year which wound up in a 1-1 series split, Cobras falling in game one 5-3 and then taking game two 18-8. 

Regional Quarterfinal - Jackson Heights Vs Centralia/Frankfort (7-6)

The Panthers were up to bat first and in the first inning went 1-2-3 from three straight strikeouts thrown by the sophmore ace pitcher, Layla Cochran. Layla Cochran for the Cobras recorded a total of six strikeouts and ten total outs in an impressive defensive performance. As for the Panthers they had the dominant freshman pitcher, Tessa Parthemer, go all seven innings as well, record seven strikeouts, and lead the team on the command. The Cobras came out with an early 2-0 lead that went to 3-1 heading into the third. The snakes kept slithering their way up the score board with two more runs coming from the bottom of the third with a new lead of 5-1. At this point Jackson Heights had one earned run and four unearned runs given to them, and Centralia/Frankfort had one unearned run. A silent fourth inning went by for both teams until the silence was broke in the top of the fifth by the Panthers. The Lady Panthers managed to score four in the fifth with the help of a two-RBI-double from freshman Tava Gibbs and a Cobra fielding error that also allowed two runs to score as well. Both teams went once again quiet, this time in the sixth. Entering the seventh it’s tied 5-5 and the Panthers manage to take the lead by one with the help of left fielder freshman, Hayden Kramer, who scored from an error. The Cobras went into the bottom half of seventh down by one and also fourth in their batting order. The following events leading up to the walk-off win went like this: Junior Jennifer Buck has a base hit double to get to second, Sophmore Brynn Shupe gets walked to first, an error gets Buck to third, Shupe steals second, Jennifer Buck then gets picked off at third for an out, sophmore Madi Bacon slices a double to score Shupe to tie the game, Bacon scrambles her way to third, the Panthers elect to walk junior Makinley Mulroy and pitch to Layla Cochran who had struck out three times up to this point, but in her last at bat Layla Cochran was able to lay down a bunt to first base to allow Madi Bacon to get home and get the walk-off win 7-6. The game ended in an incredible walk-off win for the Cobras and the player of the game went to Brynn Shupe, who finished the game with two runs, five steals, one hit, reaching base all four times, and recording five absolutely outstanding catches from the outfield with no errors. 

Summary

A heart break loss for the Panthers who managed to rally back with excitement in the fifth, only to then allow a bottom of the inning walk-off by the Cobras in the seventh. The Lady Panthers really gave it their all and all the credit to them, they came in with a very young team with five freshmen starting. Jackson Heights was able to finish the game with nine hits, six errors, and left eight on base. Centralia/Frankfort finished the game with five hits, five errors, and left four on base. Both teams had equal opportunity and had a plentiful amount of mistakes and mental errors but in the end the Cobras came out on top. Jackson Heights will look to compete tomorrow in the Semifinals and aim for the championship, this was also a huge stepping stone for the Lady Cobras as this was their first postseason victory in the program history. 

Cobra Channel

For more walk-offs and big celebrations in the booth, check out the Cobra Channel!