Republic’s successful softball season came to an end Thursday night when Kickapoo shut out the Lady Tigers 5-0 in the Class 5 District 5 championship game.
Republic had threatened early, putting two runners on base in each of the first two innings against Kickapoo starter Allison Scott. But the Lady Tigers couldn’t capitalize on those opportunities, and Scott settled in to complete the shutout.
The Lady Chiefs broke through with a run in the second inning, then Kate Finley delivered the decisive blow in the fifth – a three-run home run that pushed the lead to 4-0. Kickapoo scored another run in the inning to make it 5-0, accounting for the final margin.
The game was the last in a Republic uniform for seniors Sammi Watson, Addison Walker, Ashland Schaumann, Lilli Richerson, Brooklyn Reed, Annabelle Gerhardt-Hobbs, and Cass Ellison. Coach Lee Dishman said every season-ending loss is difficult, but this was especially tough.
“This group’s special group to me because I’ve watched them grow up from little girls to young women,” Dishman said. “I can look back on them and I’ll have many memories — of when they were 10 years old, and now when they were high schoolers — and they just make a coach proud every night.”
The impact of Republic’s program showed in the crowd, which included former players who returned to support their old team.
“If you looked around tonight, there were girls that graduated from the past that came back to watch because they care about the program. They made the program proud tonight and throughout the season,” Dishman said of the seniors.
Republic finished its season at 23-10. Kickapoo advanced to the state quarterfinals with its 30th win of the season.