After Nora Epley drove in Emerson McKinnis with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning of the Class 2A Section 2 championship game Wednesday, the Logan County Lady Cougars are preparing for state this weekend.

With Epley and McKinnis providing the clutch offense, Coach Gary Gettings’ team beat Franklin-Simpson 5-4 at Allen County-Scottsville.

It was the second hit of the game for both of them. McKinnis had blasted her seventh home run earlier. She leads the team in that category along with RBIs (18) and walks (6). Epley is the team leader in hits (19), doubles (5), triples (3) and batting average (.514).

Trinity Case doubled among her two hits; she drove in a pair of runs. Kinley Holloway doubled, scored and added an RBI. McKenzie Robinson and Natalie Cates each added to the team’s nine hits. McKinnis scored two runs with Keirsten Harper and Epley also scoring,

Hailey Burgess was the winning pitcher in relief. She worked the final 13 outs, not allowing a run while giving up two hits and two walks with a strikeout. Starter Shayla Johnson gave up four earned runs on five hits and a walk in 2.1 innings.

Kloe Smith and Maggie Brown each had three hits for the Lady Kats. Smith homered and drove in three runs. Veteran Hanna Arthur started on the mound, as usual, for F-S and took the loss.

The Lady Cougars (8-5) will literally open state play against Christian Academy of Louisville (7-4-1) this Friday at 2 p.m. at Jack C. Fisher Park in Owensboro. It’s the first of 15 games in the event, which ends late Saturday afternoon if weather cooperates.

Interestingly, CAL is the school Logan County Volleyball played in the Class 2A state championship match this same school year. The Lady Cougars took the state championship trophy home with them in that sport.