C2D1 SB: Portageville stuns, upsets 8-time champ Kennett

PORTAGEVILLE – Ten years ago, on May 8, 2013, Portageville blanked Kennett 5-0 in the championship game of the Bootheel Conference Tournament, which ended the Indians’ season.

The next spring, MSHSAA began hosting a spring state tournament for softball programs that played at this time of year, and Kennett has never lost in a District game since.

For eight consecutive years, the Indians rolled through District play to a championship, with six of those seasons competing in the Final Four. Heck, in two of those years, the Indians won state championships.

That won’t happen this year.

Portageville, which hasn’t won a title in four seasons, upset Kennett 6-3 on Monday in the semifinal round of the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 Tournament at Adams Park in Portageville.

“I’ve had to tell these girls every day,” first-year Bulldog coach Kelsey Snider said, “’You guys are the most talented team ever. If you stay on the ball, and keep building, then you’re going to go somewhere.’”

“Somewhere” is the District championship game today at Adams Park, where Portageville (15-11) will face Malden (16-10) at 4:30 p.m. The Green Wave got past Senath-Hornersville/Southland 4-3 in the other semifinal.

Kennett absolutely obliterated Portageville 16-1 earlier in the season.

“I told them at the beginning of the game,” Kennett coach Logan Dollins said, “’This isn’t the same team that we faced (earlier).”

Portageville sent that message to the large crowd immediately, as senior lead-off hitter Jessica Priggel laced a triple to centerfield, before her cousin, Libbie Priggel brought her home with a sacrifice bunt.

Kennett didn’t win 23 games this season by being intimidated by a touch of adversity, however.

Indian freshman Kynsly McKaig took a 1-2 pitch over the centerfield wall to tie the game in the bottom of the opening inning.

Kennett took the lead 2-1 on an RBI double by Hadley Wilson that inning, which scored Handley McAtee.

“We knew coming in (to Portageville),” Dollins continued, “that it would be high energy. They played their tails off and we didn’t play very good defense at the end of the day.”

That was evident in the second inning, as Portageville hitter Bryleigh Adams got hit by a pitch with two outs, which was followed by Laney Stone reaching on an error.

Jessica Priggel loaded the bases with a walk and Libbie connected for a three-run double to center field that gave the Bulldogs all of the offense it would need, as Portageville junior thrower Aubrey Greenwell was incredible on the mound.

After working just two innings against Kennett in that earlier Indian rout, Greenwell threw a complete game on Monday and allowed just one earned run on five hits.

“Aubrey and our catcher (sophomore Reece Rone) both did well,” Snider said. “Even if they weren’t doing very good at the plate, I was telling them to shake it off.

“You have to go pitch, and you have to go catch. It’s not just a hitting game.”

Both players eventually contributed offensively, though, as Greenwell had an RBI, and Rone connected for a hit.

Jessica Priggel and Libbie Priggel each had two hits to lead the Bulldogs. Jessica (three runs, one walk) and Libbie (five RBI) were both fantastic in a multitude of ways.

Adams had one hit and Stone the other, as McAtee was dominant, as usual.

The sophomore allowed just five hits and one earned run while walking one and striking out eight.

Wilson paced the Indians with two hits and an RBI, while Baylee Wilcut (one run, one walk), McCaig (one run, one hit, one RBI, one walk), McAtee (one run, one hit, one RBI), Meagan Spielman (one walk), and Kaydee Taylor (one hit) also contributed.

The Bulldogs topped the Green Wave 6-0 earlier this season, though Snider acknowledges that won’t mean much today.

“They have some great hitters and great pitching,” Snider said. “Malden is an all-around fantastic team.”