OWENSBORO – The South Warren softball team fell one game short of playing for a state title, falling to Male 12-2 in five innings in the third-place game of the KHSAA State Softball Tournament on Saturday at Jack C. Fisher Park.

South Warren (36-5) rallied earlier in the day to beat Owensboro Catholic 6-5 on a walk-off error, but was unable to keep the momentum going against a Male team that beat the Spartans for the second time in less than 24 hours.

The Spartans end the season with the school record for wins and finished 4-2 in the state tournament after going 0-2 in the school’s state tournament debut last season. South Warren joins Allen County-Scottsville and Greenwood as the only schools in Region 4 to finish third place or better at the state tournament.

South Warren coach Chris Riggs said his team hit an emotional wall after playing its sixth game in less than 48 hours, including two extra-inning games.

“We didn’t just play games, we played emotional games – coming back in the end and doing those things,” Riggs said. “I feel like we have been here a week, but it has only been a three-day tournament. The kids played their hearts out. To finish third in the state tournament is a special thing.

“Just to get here is special, but to make the run they did, the way they did it, just shows the character of the kids.”

Senior pitcher Shelby Nunn agreed it was an emotional drain after playing three games on Friday, including a 14-inning win to close the day and getting a walk-off win over Owensboro Catholic earlier in the day.

“Last night, (the) 14-inning (game) was really, really crazy,” Nunn said. “To come out (today) – it is the end of the season and everybody is broken down and exhausted. It just got to it. Male is an excellent team.”

Male, which beat the Spartans 9-2 on Friday, jumped out 3-0 in the first – a rally that included a two-run homer from Danni Walls.

South Warren got two runs back in the second when Bailee Collins delivered an RBI single and the second run scored on an error, but Male used three errors in the bottom of the inning to make the score 5-2.

The Lady Bulldogs broke it open with three runs in the fourth – including an RBI single by Jaelyn Sanders, then finished it off with four runs in the fifth.

Male outhit South Warren 9-3.

Nunn and Katie Conley were named to the all-tournament team.

“(Male) was really tough,” Conley said. “They are a really good team and they are always going to be tough.”

Daugherty said despite the loss, the team is proud of its run in the state tournament after last year’s disappointment.

“It means a lot to us,” Daugherty said. “We’ve come so far this season. We just gave it our all and that is all we could ask for.

“We got third. That’s awesome. I’m glad that we made it this far with the players we have now.”

South Warren opened the day with a thrilling come-from-behind victory, rallying in the seventh to keep its season alive.

Owensboro Catholic got two runs in the third, including an RBI single from MacKenzie Short in the third inning, but the Spartans rallied with two runs in the bottom of the third – including an RBI double from Daugherty to tie the score 2-2.

Payton Hite’s RBI single gave the Lady Aces a 3-2 lead in the fifth, but the Spartans jumped ahead 4-3 in the bottom of the inning on a two-run single from Madison Stumbo.

The Lady Aces chipped away, tying the score on a fielder’s choice in the sixth, before Isabella Henning’s RBI single in the seventh gave Owensboro Catholic a 5-4 lead.

South Warren rallied in its final at-bat, loading the bases with no outs.

Karson Williams’ fly ball to left was dropped, resulting in a fielder’s choice that tied the game 5-5.

After Stumbo was hit by a pitch to load the bases again, Jessica Bush hit a fly ball into foul territory that was caught by the left fielder Hite. On the throw into the infield, the ball got away from Lady Aces third baseman Haley Carter, allowing Daugherty to score the winning run.

“I saw (the left fielder) throw it back and it kind of went behind (the third baseman),” Daugherty said. “I just took off. I wasn’t looking back.”

Nunn picked up her fourth win of the tournament, with 2/3 of an inning of relief work.

Alexis Isable had two hits and two runs scored.

OCHS 002 011 1 – 5

SWHS 002 020 2 – 6

WP: Nunn. LP: Short.

SWHS 020 00 – 2

MHS 320 34 – 12

WP: Sanders. LP: Nunn.{&end}