Revenge-minded Siegel softball team not haunted by last season's ghosts

As Siegel junior pitcher Sophie Golliver stood on the mound in the seventh inning of Monday's Region 4-AAA semifinal softball game, it would have been difficult for her not to think about 2018.

After all, it had been a long 363 days since Golliver and the Lady Stars gave up a 6-3 lead in the seventh to the same Lincoln County program in last year's region semifinals and lost 8-6. That defeat eliminated a 32-3 Siegel team that had state championship aspirations.

And in the seventh inning Monday, Siegel clung to just a 2-1 lead. 

"It was (on my mind)," Golliver said. "But I knew I couldn't let it affect me, or it would affect the game. I was really just going out and throwing like I always throw."

Golliver didn't flinch Monday night, setting down the Lady Falcons in order in the seventh to preserve the 2-1 win and send Siegel to Wednesday's region title game and earn a berth in the Class AAA sectional.

Siegel (38-6) will get a rematch with crosstown rival Blackman (35-8) at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Siegel. Wednesday's region finals winner will play host to a sectional Friday while the loser will go on the road. Sectional winners advance to next week's state tournament.

It's the first time any Rutherford County team has made it out of the region since Siegel reached the 2016 state championship game.

"I'm honestly pretty proud of us," said Siegel senior catcher Hannah Milhorn, who was a freshman on that 2016 team. "People thought we were going to move on last year. After last year's big upset, we've gotten better, gotten stronger and bonded as a team. We've been able to get over the hump."

Bigger things were at stake Monday than just getting a team back. But revenge can be a strong motivator.

"Oh yeah ... we were thinking about it all year, even during tryouts," said Golliver, who allowed just four hits and no walks in the complete-game win. "It got real personal for us and has all year."

While Siegel clamored all year for a region rematch with the Lady Falcons, it was all business once game day arrived.

"We didn't mention it all day," Siegel coach Shawn Middleton said. "We knew we just had to go out and play. Lincoln County is scrappy, and they're never out of a game. We found that out big time last year."

Added Milhorn: "Once we stepped on the field, (last year's) game was washed out of my head. It was a whole new game, a whole new team and a whole new season for us."

Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.

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