Coming off a third-place showing in their tournament the previous Saturday, John Bunch’s Owensville Dutchgirl softball team welcomed Pacific’s Lady Indians to Memorial Field last Tuesday afternoon.

Four Rivers Conference (FRC) and MSHSAA Class 3, District 9 seeding implications were on the line for both teams.

Playing from behind the entire game, Owensville entered a do-or-die bottom of the seventh inning trailing the visitors 6-5.

Anna Finley singled to lead off the inning before scoring the tying run on a Kaylee Abney RBI single.

In spite of an Addy Wright ground out, Abney found a way to get dirty and score the winning run giving the Dutchgirls their first softball victory over Pacific since 2006 by a final score of 7-6.

“When I got to third base, my hands were shaking and I was nervous,” Abney said. “Once I saw the passed ball pop up, I sprinted not thinking about anything else other than getting on that (home) plate.”

This also marked OHS’ first win over Pacific at home since back on Sept. 17, 1996 when Kelly Lansford shut out Pacific 5-0 on four hits.

Trailing 1-0 going into the bottom of the first inning, the top of Owensville’s line up looked to get the Dutchgirls on the board.

Ella Wright led things off with a walk before a Finley sacrifice bunt pushed Ella into scoring position.

“I was in the dugout when Kaylee scored and instantly felt on top of the world,” Dutchgirl senior Ella Wright said.

She scored on an Abney RBI groundout to knot the game at 1-1 after an inning.

Dutchgirl freshman pitcher Addy Wright struck out Pacific in order giving her offense a chance to break the tie in the bottom half of the second inning.

Julie Wright doubled to lead off the inning and later scored on a Katelyn Landolt RBI single giving OHS their first lead of the game at 2-1.

Pacific answered in the top of the third inning on an Annie Mueller two-run home run putting the Lady Indians back on top 3-2 moving to the bottom of the third.

Following a scoreless fourth inning, both teams added to their run total during the fifth inning of FRC softball.

Mueller drilled her second home run of the game increasing Pacific’s lead to 4-2 going to the bottom of the fifth inning.

Mackenzie Rademacher and Caelie Horstmann delivered back-to-back singles leading off the bottom of the fifth.

With two outs and two on, Abney added to her first-inning RBI ground out.

Delivering a two-RBI double, the Dutchgirl senior shortstop drove in courtesy runner Kaitlyn Nelson and Horstmann to tie the game once again at 4-4.

Addy Wright helped her cause with an RBI double driving in Abney giving Owensville a 5-4 lead six outs from a milestone win for the Dutchgirl softball program.

“I felt confident on the (pitching) rubber and I just knew it was going to be a good game,” Dutchgirl freshman pitcher Addy Wright said.

Pacific turned three hits and an intentional walk into a pair of runs and a 6-5 lead entering the bottom of the sixth inning.

Unable to cash in a Landolt single and a Horstmann walk, Owensville went into the seventh inning trailing Pacific by a run.

Pitching around a pair of one-out singles, Addy Wright gave her Dutchgirl offense a chance for a win in the bottom of the seventh.

Finley singled to lead off the inning and scored on Abney’s fourth RBI of the game to knot the score at 6-6 with nobody out.

Even in spite of an Addy Wright ground out, Abney scooted on home on a wild pitch during Julie Wright’s final at bat of the game.

“It’s one of the best feelings in the world knowing you can be up there and get their attention off of her (Kaylee Abney) so she can score,” Dutchgirl senior first baseman Julie Wright said.

Two nights later in Bearcat country on Thursday, Owensville stole their way into the MSHSAA record books.

Logging 17 stolen bases in their 18-0 four-inning victory at Hermann, OHS created a three-way tie for second all-time with Community R-6 (Laddonia) who did it in 1993 and 1994.