The Bainbridge High School softball team’s season came to a close on Wednesday as the Lady Cats fell to Whitewater 2-0 in a best-of-three series. Whitewater took the first game 4-1 and the second 13-3 to advance to the second round of the state playoffs.

“We had several injuries this year that hurt us,” head coach Chris Bryant said. “Two starting players early in the year and then our starting pitcher later in the season. We did have some girls step up and fill those gaps.”

In the first game, Whitewater took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. They then added to their lead with two runs in the bottom of the third and another in the bottom of the fourth.

Bainbridge threatened in the top of the sixth when Haley Thompson and Anna Beth Bibby singled in back-to-back at bats for Bainbridge’s first hits of the game. The Lady Cats couldn’t capitalize though as Whitewater retired the next too batters and Bibby was thrown out at first.

The Lady Cat’s lone run in game one came in the top of the seventh. Desirae Beachem led off the inning with a triple to right field and she came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Mabry Grace Briggs. Whitewater was able to close out the Lady Cats for a 4-1 victory and a 1-0 lead in the series.

In game two of the series, the Lady Cats jumped out an early 3-0 in the bottom of the first before being held scoreless for the remainder of the game.

“That one run in game one gave the girls the spark they needed to get after them early in the game,” Bryant said. “They had to change pitchers early in game two because of the offensive success we had against her.”

Taylor Swanner led off the inning with a single to center field. She advanced to second on a sacrifice by Tyra Jackson and third on a passed ball. Beachem drove in the first run of the game for the Lady Cats with a double to right field. She came around to score on a double to left field by Briggs.

“Beachem is a player,” Bryant said. “She finds ways to get on and makes some fantastic plays defensively. That kid can play anywhere on the field.”

The Lady Cats added a third run in the inning when Briggs scored on a passed ball.

Whitewater quickly cut into the Lady Cats’ lead scoring two runs in the top of the second. They then took the lead for good in the top of the third scoring three runs to take a 5-3 lead. Whitewater’s stayed hot through the sixth inning as they scored four runs in the top of the fourth, one in the top of the fifth and three more in the top of the sixth.

Bainbridge was held in check for the rest of the game, scattering five hits, but failing to score a run. In all, they were out hit 20-8 in the decisive second game as they fell 13-3.

The Lady Cats finish the season 8-13 overall and were fourth in region 1-AAAAA.