The Elite 8 state playoff bracket included the Bryan County High Lady ‘Skins softball team and that was this teams’ pre-season mission.

On Thursday, Oct. 22 at Columbus’s South Commons softball complex the mission continued as Bryan County faced Gordon-Lee in the first round game of the Class A Elite Eight softball tournament, but came up short in a 1-0 loss.

Gordon-Lee (31-4) brought their 27-game winning streak and the pitching duo of two-time reigning Class A Pitcher of the Year, Jonia Taylor (12-2 ) and her red-hot counterpart, Brenna Nation. Gordon-Lee scored 216 runs on their season and only allowed 16 total runs by their opponents, with no team scoring more than two runs during their 27-game win streak.

Bryan County coach, Al Butler said, "When you play at this level, you can’t expect your opponents to give your three or four runs by committing errors. When you play a team of Gordon-Lee’s caliber, you have to earn what you get. They earned what they got". Gordon-Lee got the only run they would need in the first inning off of Bryan County pitcher, Tiffany Howard when Sam Taylor singled and Kendall Johnson followed with a walk. A sacrifice bunt by Kelsie Bickett moved both runners up before Holli Brooks hit a sacrifice fly to left field that allowed Taylor to tag up and score. Nation, the starter for game one for Gordon-Lee showed why she has a two-year record of 21-0 on the mound as she struck out 10 batters while only allowing four baserunners and only one walk. "She’s a real good pitcher and they are a very good team", added Butler." A lot of people had them picked to win it all. They’ve played in the state championship three years in a row. They are tough, but we were right there where we wanted to be and just couldn’t pull it off."

Bryan County put some heat on in the seventh inning when Samantha Howard and Jerri Hines both singled, but Samantha was put out at third on a strong defensive play on a bunt by Stephanie Turner.

Jonia Taylor came on in the seventh inning for some relief help and struck out the last two Lady ‘Skins batters that conserved the 1-0 win and sent Bryan County into the loser’s bracket.

"It hurts to know that these girls were just a hit or two away from knocking off possibly the number one team in the tournament," added Butler.

The next day, Bryan County came back for their second game in the double-elimination tournament to take on 7A Providence Christian Stars (27-10), but the ‘Skins found themselves facing another stellar pitcher in Kylie Kleinschmidt, who struck out 15 batters in the Stars’ 2-0.

"She is the best pitcher we’ve seen all year," said Butler.

Providence scored a run in the first and another in the second inning and Kleinschmidt did her part on the mound as she struck out at least two batters in every inning.

Samantha Howard became the first Redskins’ baserunner of the game in the fourth inning when she ripped a triple to right field, but Kleinschmidt would have no more as she struck out the next two batters to nullify any further threat.

Tiffany Howard reached second base in the sixth inning after a infield single and error, but Kleinschmidt did her strike out number again on the next batter to head back to the dugout.

The last chance for a score by Bryan County was in the seventh inning when Samantha Howard reached base on an error, but Kleinschmidt sat down the next three batters with strikeouts to close out the game. "Except for our seniors, Samantha Howard, Chelsea Gallo, and Stephanie Turner we are a young team. Our seniors have done a great job in being leaders by working hard these past four years and setting the example for these girls to carry with them into next season." Butler said. "We expect to be back again next year. We have seen that we can compete defensively, but offensively we have to put ourselves in position to see this caliber of pitching more during the season. I am ecstatic about what this team accomplished this year by going 28-10 and a trip to Columbus."