“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.