Moorman, Hornets keep magical season moving forward with regional championship

MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — As usual, Taryn Moorman was in complete control.

That should not have come as a surprise, considering what she had already accomplished during her junior season as the ace of the Brown County softball team.

“Taryn throws strikes,” Brown County coach David Woodruff said. “She also works quickly and never gets rattled.”

As far as Moorman’s Friday afternoon performance in a 10-0, five-inning Class 1A regional championship win over Western was concerned, the boxes for those prerequisites for success were all checked — again.

Moorman struck out seven, did not walk a batter and allowed six singles. The victory boosted the right-hander’s record to 20-0 and improved Brown County to 30-1.

“Our defense has had my back all year,” Moorman said. “We all support one another on and off the field.”

Woodruff said Moorman has evolved into more of a pitcher, rather than just a thrower.

“She is relying more on her secondary pitches, like her change and drop,” he said. “She is pitching more to contact this year.”

To her credit, Moorman doesn’t try to sidestep the obvious when quizzed about what kind of objectives remain on the Hornets’ checklist.

“Our goal is to reach the state tournament,” she said matter-of-factly.

Moorman broke from her normal businesslike demeanor when asked if she could wrap her thoughts around all of the success that she personally and the team collectively have already achieved.

“Oh yeah!” she said, her eyes beaming and voice filled with emotion..

Moorman, who is two strikeouts shy of the Hornets’ single-season school record of 139, then hinted that the Hornets are well aware of what is already in the rear-view mirror and what might await on the horizon.

“It’s just crazy,” she said.

Brown County’s next step on what is the program’s most successful softball season in school history comes at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday against Havana at Jacksonville Routt in the sectional semifinals.

Havana is the only team to have defeated Brown County, earning a 4-1 victory earlier this month. The Havana loss snapped Brown County’s 26-game victory streak.

Brown County’s explosive batting order went for the jugular early, scoring twice in the first inning and five more times in the third. A three-run fifth brought the contest to a run-rule end.

Western starter Skyler Bainter (7-4) was victimized by not only line drives from the Hornets’ bats but four errors behind her that allowed six unearned runs.

“We just beat ourselves today, but our girls had a fantastic year,” said Western coach John Skirvin, whose club ended 10-11. “I wish Brown County the best of luck.”

Katey Flynn, Klare Flynn and Cyrah Dunlap each collected a pair of hits for Brown County. The Flynn sisters also combined for four RBIs.

Rachael McMullin and Kodi Nelson each had two hits for Western.

Until this year, Brown County’s most softball victories had come in 2016 (23-9) and 1998 (22-8).

“This has been an amazing year,” Woodruff said. “It feels very special.”

And it’s not over yet.