“A picture is worth a thousand words”, as the ole saying goes; and so did the Lady Pirate Softball Senior Night.  If you weren’t there, whether a fan of the sport or not, if your a Pirate at HEART….you missed a milestone memory.  Even PPSB’s audio broadcast couldn’t do it justice….you just had to have been there.  The 2015 Lady Pirate Softball team is one close group; the evidence is their ‘family’ photo after thumping visiting Brown County Friday evening, 16-1 to finish a 21-4 regular season.  Don’t miss Coach with cake on his face in the photo.  The Lady Pirates celebrated their three Seniors, Shelby Goedeker, Kaitlynn Henning, & Alex Hutchinson; they honored their retiring Head Coach, and then they celebrated his birthday.  There was family everywhere and Pirate love was in the air all night.  The Lady Pirate Softball family has done alot of winning, especially over the last four years; evidence is the three Seniors’ record playing softball at Charlestown High School, 81 wins and only 25 loses in four years (70%).  The Lady Pirates, with his family, celebrated the coaching career and dedication of retiring Lady Pirate Softball Skipper, Kevin Zollman (179-145).  It was emotional to say the least, but it was the kind of “emotional” that made you proud to be a Pirate.  Then they whooped up on the Lady Eagles, the game just landed on the wrong night for the visitors this season.

After a scoreless first, Charlestown scored three in the second when Junior Bethany Hall led off with a double to left field, Freshman Erin Kimbrell, Junior Brooke Adams, Sophomore Mackenzie Smith, and Junior Leah Sherrill then added singles.  Charlestown added another run in the third when Senior Alex Hutchinson plated Hall on a single to left center.  Lady Pirates 4-0 over Brown County after three complete.  Then the emotions of the night kicked it as the Lady Pirates scored twelve in the bottom of the fourth, off ten hits, to put the game out of reach for the visiting Lady Eagles.

Junior Leah Sherrill was phenomenal from the plate again, finishing a perfect four for four with three singles and a triple in the fourth that scored three runs.  Sherrill finished the game with four RBIs.  Hall finished 3 of 4 from the plate with two singles, a double and two RBIs.  Kimbrell also added a 3 of 4 performance, all singles; and Junior Carly Price tacked on a double, a single and three RBI’s to her +500 average.

Coach Zollman and the Lady Pirates will now defend their two consecutive Sectional titles beginning Monday at Salem High School.  Charlestown will play North Harrison, as the home team, in the first round of tournament play (5:30 pm).  Pirate Pride Sports will broadcast the game live beginning at 5:00 pm on www.CPPSB.com.

Not the biggest offensive numbers on the season for Charlestown; however the Lady Pirate Softball team got done what needed to get done, securing their 16th consecutive win.  After a scoreless first, Southwestern (Hanover) scored a run in the second to take an early lead on their hosts.  Charlestown (20-4) answered in the bottom of the third when Junior Leah Sherrill reached first on balls to lead off the inning and set the stage for Junior Carly Price.  Price, currently batting a hot .506 average, hit a shot to left center on a 1-0 pitch, plating Sherrill for a RBI triple.  Price scored three pitches later to give the Lady Pirates a 2-1 lead.  The Lady Rebels added their last run in the top of third to tie the game at two.  Price hit another triple in the fifth and then got plated by Junior Lexi Logsdon to take the lead.  The Lady Pirates added another run in the bottom of the sixth when Junior Sarah Willinger also tripled to left field, then scored two batters later.  Final score 4 -2, Charlestown.  Price (14-2) got the win from the circle, with eight strikeouts and one walk.  Southwestern finished the game with six hits, but were held to two runs by the Charlestown defense.  Price lead the Lady Pirates at the plate, finishing two for two, both triples and a RBI; while Willinger also finished two for two with a triple and a run scored.  The Lady Pirates are leading Class 3A statistics for triples with 23 total on the season thus far; seven of those by Price who is second in the state.  Sophomore Mackenzie Smith is tied for fourth in 3A with five triples.

The Lady Pirates will host Brown County Friday evening for the regular season finale, with a first pitch scheduled for 6pm; however the night will definitely be an emotional one for Pirate Softball fans.  Charlestown High School will honor its three Softball Seniors (Shelby Goedeker, Alex Hutchinson, and Kaitlynn Henning), and recognize retiring Head Coach Kevin Zollman.  Zollman (178-145 in fourteen season) has led the program since 2002, leading our ladies to two conference titles and back-to-back Sectional Championships in 2013 and 2014.  Pirate Nation, make sure your arrive to Friday’s game by 5:45 pm to witness and honor our Softball Seniors and beloved Coach Zollman.

Charlestown Lady Pirate Softball improved their record to 19-4 on the season, winning their 15th consecutive game while visiting Class 2A #3 Henryville (24-4) Wednesday evening.  No let down for the Lady Pirates, coming off big victories against Jeffersonville on Monday and Salem, Tuesday evening.  Charlestown got on the board immediately when Junior Lexi Logsdon double RBI singled to plate lead off Sophomore Mackenzie Smith and Junior Leah Sherrrill.  Junior Bethany Hall followed that up with an RBI double to score Logsdon and Junior Sarah Willinger reached on an Hornet error that also scored Hall.  Charlestown lead Henryville 4-0 after one inning complete.  The Lady Pirates added two more runs by Sherrill and Logsdon off two more Hornet errors and a Hall RBI single.  Henryville got on the board in the bottom of the second, scoring two runs off a home run shot to left center; then one run in the third to make it 6-3 after three complete.  Junior Carly Price tripled to right field and then was batted in by Logsdon on a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth; then Junior Sarah Willinger singled and scored in the fifth on a Sophomore Taylor Glover sacrifice shot between third and short.  Henryville scored three runs in the sixth, including another home run; but fell short the remainder as the Lady Pirates scored Willinger again in the top of the seventh to make it 9-6 off Glover and Senior Kaitlynn Henning singles.  The Lady Pirates denied Henryville in the bottom of the seventh, three up-three down.  Excluding the seventh, Sophomore Kendall Cline pitched the entire game for Charlestown.  Bethany Hall finished the game 3 for 4 trips at the plate, including a double and two RBIs; Lexi Logsdon singled and reached on two fielder’s choice plays; but booked three RBIs.  Charlestown will host Southwestern for a Varsity-JV double-header Thursday night then Brown County on Friday evening for Senior Night.  Retiring Head Coach Kevin Zollman will also be honored Friday evening; when all former players and coaches are encouraged to attend for the 6:00 pm first pitch.  The Lady Pirates will begin Sectional play Monday at 5:30 pm versus North Harrison at Salem High School.

The Charlestown Lady Pirate Softball team (18-4 & 7-2 MSC) began Tuesday evening’s showdown with conference leader Salem eight days ago.  The game rain delayed in the bottom of the fourth last Monday, with the difference being a Lady Lion solo home run in the third.  Eight days the weight of the match-up loomed, especially with the Lady Pirates who have experienced the recent Softball and Basketball showdowns between the two groups of competitors.  Charlestown and Salem resumed the game Tuesday evening, the Lady Lions with a 1-0 lead and two away in the bottom of the fourth for the Lady Pirates.  Charlestown continued to make adjustments for Salem’s pitcher, Brooke Miller; who continued to deliver a hard-to-hit-solid ball.  Two singles and two errors in the top of the fifth allowed Salem to balloon its lead to 4-0 heading into the fifth inning.  Cline doubled in the sixth, but Charlestown was unable to plate any runs through six complete; however Lady Pirate Pitcher Carly Price zeroed in on what was working and held Salem at bay in the sixth and seventh.  Price pitched the complete game, striking out five and walking one Lady Lion.  The bottom of the seventh, seemingly the Lady Pirates’ last chance at a share of the 2015 softball conference title was real; but it wasn’t written on anyone’s face.  Senior Kaitlynn Henning led off with a single, then Sophomore Mackenzie Smith (who finished the game four for four at the plate) singled to move Henning into scoring position at third.  Then it was the flip of a switch…. somewhere in the Charlestown dug-out.  Junior Leah Sherrill singled and scored Henning to cut the lead to three with two on base and no outs.  Juniors Carly Price and Lexi Logsdon hit back-to-back stand-up triples to plate three more runs and tie the score at four.  Logsdon, representing the winning run on third, awaited to be plated for the walk-off victory.  Salem (15-8 & 7-2 MSC) elected to make a pitching change (Kilburn); but it wasn’t enough to stop the Lady Pirate momentum.  Two batters later, with one away, Sophomore Kendall Cline smacked a shot to third base scoring Logsdon for the win.  Logsdon got a great jump off third and slid under the tag at home for one of the most aggressive steals of her career.  Charlestown’s 5-4 win forced Salem to share the Softball Conference Championship, the Lady Pirates second since 2012 and fifth all time (1996, 1997, & 1998).  Mackenzie Smith was named the Coyle Chevy, Buick, GMC and Coyle Nissan Player of the Game by CPPSB.  Charlestown has won fourteen straight when it visits Henryville (4:30 pm first pitch) on Wednesday.  Henryville is ranked third in 2A ball with a record of 24-3; which promises to be a good competitive game in advance of next week’s Sectional.  The Lady Pirates will also host Southwestern Thursday night and Brown County on Friday night for Senior Night and recognition of retiring coach Zollman.

The Charlestown Lady Pirates stepped out of conference play Monday night at Jeffersonville, winning their thirteenth consecutive game and downing the host Red Devils 9-3.  The Red Devils got off to a quick 3-0 start over Charlestown in the bottom of the first; but were then shut down by the visiting Lady Pirates the remainder of the game.  Carly Price pitched the complete game and got the win for Charlestown from the circle, improving her season record to 12-2.  Price buckled down in the second and finished strong, striking out six, and walking four.  Charlestown poured on the runs in the fourth, scoring six times and keeping the pressure on through Jeff pitching changes and adjustments.  Junior Bethany Hall led the Lady Pirates from the plate, finishing a perfect four for four, all singles and two RBI’s.  Hall got the Big Blue offense rolling in the fourth with a shot to left field.  Leah Sherrill and Carly Price both finished two for four from the plate respectfully.  Sherrill scored two runs and finished with two RBI’s, including one off a huge double to the center field wall in the top of the fifth.  Price added another RBI.  Charlestown finished the outing with 13 hits, putting a damper on Senior Night activities for the home-standing Red Devils.  The Charlestown JV team fell to thier counterparts in the night-cap, 6-1.

The Lady Pirates (17-4) now turns their full attention to finishing their rain delayed contest with Salem.  A win over the Lady Lions will give Charlestown a share of the 2015 Mid-Southern Conference Softball title, with Salem.  Tuesday’s game will pick-up where it was placed into rain delay, trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth with Kendall Cline on first and two outs.  The game will be broadcasted by Pirate Pride Sports on www.CPPSB.com and will begin at 5:30 pm with a JV match up to follow.  Charlestown has won MSC Softball titles in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2012.

Charlestown Lady Pirate Softball Head Coach Kevin Zollman has announced that he has decided to retire at the conclusion of the 2015 spring season.  Coach Zollman has been at the helm of Lady Pirate Softball since 2002, when he replaced Coach Don Carroll.  Coach Zollman has amassed an overall record of 174-145 during his fourteen seasons (not including the remainder of the current season); which includes back-to-back sectional titles in 2013 and 2014, as well as a Mid-Southern Conference Title in 2012.

Zollman’s 2015 squad (as of Sunday May 17th) has a record of 16 wins and 4 losses, is a half game from winning a share of another Mid-Southern Conference Title, and recently upset the #2 team in the state of Indiana (8-2) on their home field.  The Lady Pirates have also won both the Providence and Edgewood Invitational Tournaments this season.

The Lady Pirates will be celebrating Coach Kevin Zollman, along with their three seniors, during their final home game on Friday, May 22^nd.  All former Lady Pirate Softball Coaches and Players are invited and encouraged to attend the celebration before the game; which is scheduled for a 6pm first pitch.

Thank you Coach Zollman, your career as the Charlestown Lady Pirate Softball Head Coach has been historic; we wish you a great retirement after years of hard work, dedication, and leadership.

The Charlestown Lady Pirates won their 12th consecutive game and improved their season record to 16-4 (6-2 MSC) when rolling past visiting Eastern-Pekin Thursday evening 12-0.  The Lady Pirates scored three in the first, four in the second, and five in the third while shutting out the Lady Musketeers.  Lexi Logsdon finished 3 for 3 with three runs; Kaitlynn Henning finished 2 for 2 with two runs, and Carly Price hit a double RBI triple in the second and plated twice.  Charlestown will host the annual Invitational Tournament Saturday, as Lanesville and Austin will square off at 10:00 am, followed by Charlestown versus Crothersville at noon.  The consolation game is scheduled for 2pm and the Championship game 4:00 pm.  Catch updated via Charlestown Pirate Pride Sports Broadcasting on Twitter.