by Brian Turrel
The Turner High School girls softball team experienced both thrills and disappointment in the 5A regional softball tournament, played May 17 at Steineger Field in Kansas City, Kan.
The Lady Bears won an extra-innings thriller against DeSoto in the semifinal game, before dropping the final 18 – 0 to Blue Valley Southwest, which will advance to the state tournament in Wichita next week.
Turner won the semifinal on a double to left by sophomore Mya Navarro that brought home senior Alexis Burgard. Extra innings were needed when DeSoto tied the game in the top of the seventh inning.
Turner got behind early, trailing 4 – 0 in the fourth, before sophomore Megan Johnson blasted a grand slam to right center, tying the score and setting Turner up for the victory.
The Blue Valley Southwest Timberwolves scored early and often in the final, racking up 18 runs in only 4 innings against a tired Turner team. The game was called in Southwest’s favor after the bottom of the fourth due to the 15-run rule used in state tournament play.
