By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
For just the second time in program history, the Southeast of Saline softball team will have an opportunity to play for a state title after taking down Jefferson West 2-1 in Wednesday’s semifinal at Rock Chalk Park.
This entire game was played within just one run, and no lead ever felt safe, but in the end, timely hitting, aggressive baserunning, and elite pitching won the day for SES.
Lady Trojan softball indeed.
Both teams had a huge opportunity in the first inning, but each side stranded two runners, and the game remained scoreless until the third.
To open the third, Emmie Dean worked a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on a Joslynn Sutton infield single, then came in to score on a Taryn Taylor sacrifice bunt.
Southeast quickly answered when the white-hot bat of Kyiah Samuelson, whose postseason batting average now sits at .750, smacked a double and came in to score on an Anabelle Soelle RBI single.
Three innings down, 1-1 tie.
Each side had opportunities in the fourth, but it was SES who broke the deadlock in the bottom of the fifth.
Reese Heinrich walked, calmly stole second, then darted home on a Kyiah Samuelson infield single that rolled away from Emmie Dean at second base to take their first lead of the game.
Needing just six outs to close out the win, Karlee Zurfluh went back to work in the circle, getting through the sixth without incident.
Down to their final three outs, Jefferson West found new life when Reese Stowe reached base on a leadoff hit by pitch.
Savannah Jackson pinch ran for Stowe and advanced to second on a passed ball to put the tying run in scoring position with no outs.
Ashley Moser popped out, setting up leadoff hitter Emmie Dean with a chance to play the hero.
For a moment, it looked like Dean would do just that, driving a single into center field that could have put runners at the corners, but feeling the pressure, the Lady Tigers sent Jackson, who was promptly gunned down at the plate on a strike delivered from center by Kyiah Samuelson.
Zurfluh worked an infield pop-up for the third out, and the Lady Trojans secured a 2-0 victory and a trip to their second-ever state championship game.
On the day, Zurfluh allowed just one run on five hits and struck out six.
At the plate, Reese Heinrich and Kyiah Samuelson reached base six times, accounting for 6 of Southeast’s 8 baserunners on the day, but it was just enough to eke out a win.
The Lady Trojans will return to Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence to battle Silver Lake, who defeated Haven 12-6 in the day’s second game, at 1:30 on Friday.
You can relive every pitch of today’s thrilling win on demand below.