BREWER – Sarah Coonradt and the Richmond High softball team flirted with defeat during Saturday’s Class D state championship game.

The Bobcats kept things in perspective by thinking about a dear friend who was inspiring them – if only in spirit.

Richmond tied the game with two out in the seventh inning, then manufactured a run in the ninth to pull out a 3-2 victory over Ashland at Coffin Field.

“They never gave up and they believe in themselves,” said Richmond coach Rick Coughlin. “They’re really close-knit. They just felt that they could do it and they did.”

Coonradt said the 16-2 Bobcats drew strength thinking of Brock Hurley, who died in April at age 14 from autoimmune disease.

“I’m not really religious, but there was a presence,” said Coonradt, who pitched a five-hitter with a photo of her friend Hurley tucked into her sliding shorts, as always.

“I felt it and I think the rest of the team felt it, too,” Coonradt said, “and it gave us a calm and a focus to carry through with what we needed to do to win the game.”

Richmond trailed 2-1 going into the seventh inning, but Hilary Trott drew a one-out walk, moved up on a passed ball, then took third one out later on a wild pitch.

Jasmine Lambert followed with a hard grounder that glanced off the glove of Ashland pitcher Pam Spooner and toward second baseman Ashlee Peters, who couldn’t make a play. Trott raced home with the tying run.

“I should have had that,” said Spooner, who scattered five hits, struck out 12 and walked five in an outstanding performance.

Ashland (15-3) threatened in the eighth when Spooner laced a double down the line in left with one out. Coonradt buckled down and got the next two outs.

The Bobcats won it in the ninth. Kasey Hughes walked and when Tracy Leonard laid down a sacrifice bunt, she aggressively raced for third. The throw to third base sailed high, allowing Hughes to score.

“We play together and we never give up,” Hughes said. “We’re a tight unit and that holds us strong.”

Spooner was the offensive catalyst for Ashland. She roped a double to left in the second inning, doubled to left and scored in the fourth, hit an RBI single in the fifth and doubled again in the eighth.

“She’s a great ballplayer and she loves the pressure out there. She comes through,” Hunter said.

Lindsey Long’s fifth-inning single was the only other hit for the Hornets off Coonradt, who struck out 13 and walked three.

“There’s a couple girls up in the County that pitch like that, but not anywhere near quite that fast,” Hunter said of Coonradt.”

Richmond took a 1-0 lead in the third when Abbey Miller and Jasmine Lambert hit back-to-back doubles. The Bobcats talled in the fourth when Hughes singled, Leonard walked and both advanced on Katie Cray’s sacrifice bunt.

Trott plated the run with a bunt back to the mound.

Ashland got a run back in the fourth. Spooner doubled and scored when Danielle Long reached on an error.

The Hornets took the lead in the fifth when Emily Clark walked, Lindsey Long singled and both advanced on a groundout. Amber Smith delivered a run-scoring groundout and Spooner looped an RBI single to left to make it 3-2.

Coonradt is sure she got a little help from Hurley.

“I told them that he was here and he was going to take care of thigns for us,” she said. “I really felt him.”

BOBCATS 4, HORNETS 3

(9 innings)

Richmond (16-2) Ashland (15-3)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Lambert, lf 4 0 2 2 L. Long, dp 4 1 0

Gray, 1b 3 0 1 0 Campbell, c 3 0 0

Martin, 2b 3 0 0 0 Richmond, cr 0 0 0

Coonradt, p 4 0 0 0 Smith, rf 4 0 0

Hughes, ss 3 2 1 0 Spooner, p 4 1 1

Leonard, cf 1 0 0 0 D. Long, cf 4 0 0

Cray, 2b 2 0 0 0 Nemer, ss 4 0 0

Trott, c 3 1 0 0 Belskis, 1b 4 0 0

Miller, rf 4 1 1 0 Peters, 2b 3 0 0

E. Clark, lf 3 1 0 0

K. Clark, 3b 0 0 0 0

Totals 27 4 5 2 Totals 33 3 5 2

Richmond 001 100 101 ? 4

Ashland 000 120 000 ? 3

E?Hughes; Belskis; LOB?Richmond 5; Ashland 6; 2B?Lambert, Miller; Spooner 3; S?Gray, Cray; SB?Gray, Martin, Cray; Spooner

Richmond IP H R ER BB SO

Coonradt (W, 14-2) 9 5 3 2 3 13

Ashland IP H R ER BB SO

Spooner (L, 14-2) 9 5 4 3 5 12

WP?Coonradt 2; Spooner 5; PB?Campbell; T?2:02; ATT?350 (est.)