Rainy weather and tournament games kept pushing the Ohio Valley Conference softball championship game showdown back.

Friday, May 19, 2000

Rainy weather and tournament games kept pushing the Ohio Valley Conference softball championship game showdown back. And back.

But the title game finally came Wednesday and the Chesapeake Lady Panthers came away with a 5-3 win over the Fairland Lady Dragons to claim the OVC crown.

Chesapeake finishes 18-8 and 10-2 in the conference. Fairland ends 16-6 and 9-3 in the OVC.

"The last time we played was May 9, and we weren’t real sharp. But I don’t want to take anything away from Chesapeake. They have a good team and they just beat us," Fairland coach Jim Bailey said.

Chesapeake scored three times in the third to snap a scoreless tie.

With two outs, Emily Delimpo reached on an error, Jessica Rice reached on a fielder’s choice, and Kim Frye was safe on a fielder’s choice to load the bases.

Jessica Hall reached on an error as a run scored, Kristen Huff had a run-scoring single, and Shellie White was safe on an error as the final run scored.

The lead went to 4-0 in the fourth.

With two outs, Delimpo singled, stole second, took third on a passed ball, and scored when Rice singled.

Fairland got into the scoring column in the fifth.

Jessica Phillips was safe on an error, stole second, took third on a passed ball, and came home when Jennifer Jones singled to center.

The Lady Panthers answered with a run in the sixth that was almost a carbon copy of the fourth.

Delimpo singled, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Rice’s second RBI single.

Fairland rallied in the seventh as it threatened to take the game

Jessica Phillips was safe on an error, Jones reached on a fielder’s choice, and Maggie Staggs doubled home the runners.

But Kim Frye struck out the next batter to end the game and secure the championship.

"I told the girls I was proud of them. No one picked us at the beginning of the year to be playing for the OVC championship. Harmon pitched well and the seniors did a great job, but the young kids came through for us," said Bailey.

Frye got the win as she allowed six hits, struck out two, and walked one.

Harmon suffered the loss and ended the season 13-3 including 36-15 during her career. She gave up seven hits, fanned two, and walked only one.

Delimpo, Rice, and Frye each went 2-for-3 for Chesapeake. Harmon was 2-3 and Jones 2-4.

Chesapeake 003 101 0 – 5 7 5

Fairland 000 010 2 – 3 6 4

Kim Frye and Kristen Huff. JoAnn Harmon and Holly Black. W-Frye (2-K, 1-W). L-Harmon (2-K, 1-W). 2B-Fairland: Maggie Staggs. Hitting-Chesapeake: Emily Delimpo 2-4, Jessica Rice 2-4, Kim Frye 2-4, Kristen Huff 1-3; Fairland: JoAnn Harmon 2-3, Jennifer Jones 2-4, Maggie Staggs 1-2, Paula Daniel 1-3.