SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Johnson County Community College softball saw its season come to an end after Murry State knocked them out the double elimination NJCAA D-II World Series tournament with a 5-1 setback on Thursday, May 23.
After opening the tournament with back-to-back wins Phoenix and Central Alabama, Johnson County fell to the consolation bracket with a hard-fought 2-1 loss to Kirkwood earlier in the day on Thursday.
A powerful hitting team all season, the Lady Cavaliers only were able to produce nine hits, just one for extra bases, and two runs in their final two games.
Johnson County closes out the season with a record of 46-12, the most wins produced under head coach Aubree Brattin-Volkens. Her previous high was 43 victories back in 2012, her first season at the helm.
Sophomore outfielder Taryn Burkhardt and sophomore first baseman Kate Ediger led the team with each collecting five hits in the tournament. Burkhardt hits .385 (5-for-13) scored three runs and walked three times. Ediger hit .417 (5-for-11). Sophomore outfielder Gracie Ramsey was the top run producer with three runs driven in over the four games and freshman third baseman Aspen Burgardt led the team with most extra base hits with two doubles in the win over Phoenix.
In the circle, sophomore Maggie McNally appeared in all four games and finished 2-1 with seven runs allowed, five earned, and 20 strikeouts over 18.2 innings pitched. Her 20 strikeouts are the fifth-most by a JCCC pitcher in national tournament play. Against Central Alabama, she mowed down 10 batters, tying the second-best strikeout game by a Lady Cavalier in tournament play history. She also finished with an earned run average of 1.92, 10th-best ever at JCCC.