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Following successful seasons that saw each team win over twenty games, the Lady Cards and Cards entered the 10th Region Tournament with high hopes. 

Unfortunately, both teams would see their season come to a close. 

Harrison County High School, a powerhouse in both softball and baseball, knocked the Lady Cards and Cards out of the postseason to end each team’s 2025 campaign. 

The Lady Cards (24-12) entered the 10th Region Tournament after nearly upsetting defending 10th Region Champion Montgomery County (19-5) in the 40th District Tournament. 

In a game much closer than the final score might indicate, the Lady Cards led through the first four innings. 

However, with two runs scored in the bottom of the 5th followed by a seven-run explosion in the bottom of the 6th, the Lady Indians pulled away in what would eventually be a 12-6 victory. 

Finishing as 40th District Runner-Up, all 40th District Tournament team award winners included Arabella Guinn – who hit a home run earlier in the contest – as well as Jordyn Abner and Zyniia Tichenor. 

“I’m just proud of how they fought,” said Head Coach Matt Puckett. “When you compete, you give yourself a chance to win.” 

Advancing to the 10th Region Tournament, as both champions and runner-ups do, the Lady Cards drew Harrison County – a top-15 team statewide – in the opening round. 

In five innings, GRC fell by a 10-0 score, thus ending their season. 

The combination of Harrison County juniors Isabella Persinger and Shyanne Ross no-hit the Lady Cards, while eighth-grader Aleigha Newby led the offense with four RBIs on four hits. 

“I’m proud of how the girls took to the new coaching and made it [a] decent year,” Puckett added. 

While the Lady Cards graduate seniors Amyah Maxwell, Aniya McIntyre, Abby Horn, Alyssa Webb, Addison Wilson, they’re also set to return much from a team that won 24 games after winning 18 combined during the prior two years. 

Among such players are Abner, Guinn, Tichenor, Kyleigh Chestnut, Jayda Grigsby, Kennedy Jones, and Morgan Parks. 

For the Cards (23-14), who were fresh off winning a 40th District Championship over Montgomery County, the 10th Region Tournament began with the need to overcome adversity. 

In a quarterfinal matchup against Scott (16-13), GRC fell behind 4-0 in the second inning and led 5-1 after three innings courtesy of a 4-RBI performance by the Eagles’ Brady Smith. 

However, the Cards chipped away. 

After scoring two runs in the fourth inning on an RBi single from Gunner Martin and a sacrifice fly by Ben Fulks, the Cards loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

They were then able to take advantage of some costly Scott mistakes, taking the lead as three runs crossed home plate via a walk, balk, and wild pitch. 

With some effective late-inning pitching, including 3.1 innings of scoreless relief and four strikeouts from Midway University commit Maddox Campbell, the Cards held on for a 6-5 victory. 

“[It was] a great comeback win,” said Head Coach Eddie Brooks. “The kids fought hard.” 

Two days later, after the 10th Region Tournament was delayed by rain for twenty-four hours, the Cards took on perennial favorite Harrison County (31-5). 

GRC got out to the early lead when a home run by Tielor Howie extended just past the left fielder’s glove for a 1-0 second-inning lead. 

However, the Thorobreds struck back in the bottom half of the inning. 

With Cooper Slade batting, a throwing error from GRC allowed a run to score, followed by an RBI single from Russ Persinger and a sacrifice fly from Sean Vaughn for a 3-1 lead. 

After Howie delivered a fourth-inning single and stole second base, a Harrison County error with GRC’s Ben Fulks up to bat allowed Howie to score to narrow the deficit to 3-2. 

Yet the bottom half of the fourth inning would spell doom for GRC. 

A five-run inning – capped off by a three-run home run from the Thorobreds’ Jashon Lewis – put the Cards down 8-2. 

Although a two-run home run by Abrahm Howard narrowed the score to 8-4, the deficit proved too much to overcome, and GRC fell by the same score. 

“We made a few miscues that they took advantage of, and we found ourselves in an uphill battle and couldn’t overcome it,” Brooks added. “[I] take nothing away from Harrison County. What a great job those kids did over there…but I’m proud of our kids. They battled all year long through injuries…and I couldn’t be more proud of our program and [the] direction it’s moving in.” 

Following the loss, GRC graduates Campbell, Eastern Kentucky University commit Kamden McAlpin, Ben Fulks, Najee Harris, Chase Wheeler, and more. 

They’re set to return both Howie and Howard – who were each named to the 10th Region All-Tournament Team – as well as Martin, Brady Freeman, Myles Frick, Ben McFadden, Abe Mullins, Caleb Pierce, Jacob Todd, and more.