The 2024 Forsyth Lady Panthers Softball team were trying to find their team chemistry through the middle of the season.
The Lady Panthers stood 7-12 after their third big loss of the year to Strafford on April 11. From that point on however, the Lady Panthers got things together and won 10 of their final 13 games, capped off with an 8-0 win over Sparta in the Class 2 District Tournament Title Game Tuesday in Forsyth.
With the tournament title, Forsyth:
-Avenged last year's loss to Sparta in the District Title Game.
-With their 4-2 win over Strafford in the Semi-finals, erased the three huge losses to the Lady Indians during the season.
-Gave the Lady Panthers their fourth Spring Softball District Title, to go with wins in 2014, 2019, and 2021.
-Continued the streak of consecutive winning seasons for the program, which now stands at 13.
In the title game, the Lady Panthers broke a scoreless tie in the third taking advantage of the Lady Trojans only error of the game, a dropped fly ball with two outs that allowed two runs to score. The Lady Panthers added two more runs in the fourth on a Sacrifice Fly by Libby Hunter and a RBI double by Taylor Braden, then added three in the fifth as Lindsey Essary hit her program record 15th home run with a runner on with Haiden Holle later adding another Sacrifice Fly. A third Sac Fly off of the bat of Lilli Roberts in the sixth inning completed the scoring.
Essary pitched a three-hit shutout in the circle striking out two and walking one finishing up a run winning all three games in the tournament. The defense also stepped up during the tournament, highlighted in the championship game by a diving catch on a line drive by Braden to start the game as well as two pop-up double plays, including one to end the game.
The Lady Panthers will take their 17-15 record into the Class 2 Quarterfinals next Tuesday at Diamond.
Area Athletes Win District, Sectional Championships, Move On
