[Stardust]

Bullitt East’s Lady Chargers are going to the state high school fastpitch softball tournament for the first time.

They assured themselves of that trip when they scored five runs in the sixth inning to defeat Butler 8-2 in the Sixth Region final Saturday at the University of Louisville’s Ulmer Stadium. The Mount Washington school played in the old slowpitch state tourney years ago, but the trip to Jack C. Fisher Park in Owensboro will be its first venture to the fast-pitch version.

The Lady Chargers (28-9) will play Seventh Region champion Mercy (32-8) at 7 p.m. Thursday.

“Our hearts were the key (to this win),’’ coach Ricky Hoffman said. “We hit the ball well and got some timely hitting. We left the bases loaded twice, but when it counted we got it done.’’

Bullitt East, which lost to Butler 7-4 on April 25, led only 3-2 entering the sixth inning, but Butler starter Mallory Evans hit Taylor Price with a pitch and walked Rachel Simms. The Lady Chargers’ cleanup hitter, Kirsten Price, singled in a run for a 4-2 lead.

Baleigh Bell relieved Evans and struck out winning pitcher Jamie Lutes before Morgan Raymer singled home two more runs to make it 6-2.

Price drove in three runs. She had an RBI on a fielder’s choice in the first inning and followed Simms’ double with another double to right-center field in the third.

“I hit a high outside pitch,’’ Price said. “I’ve been hitting that pitch real good lately. It feels amazing (to win the regional). We’ve worked so hard and it’s finally ours.’’

“It’s the spirit of the team (that won the game),’’ Raymer said. “We were all pumped up.’’

Lutes, a right-handed senior, allowed two runs, six hits, no walks and struck out four in seven innings.

“I knew we could pull through after those five runs,’’ Lutes said. “Our defense had been good all game.’’

McClure, the Bullitt East second baseman, suffered a broken little finger on her right hand during pregame warmups, but she played the whole game.

“I didn’t want this to be my last game, being a senior,’’ McClure said.

Butler (22-13) was seeking its first regional crown since winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007.

Bell, who had two singles, scored Butler’s first run on a throwing error by the Bullitt East catcher when she got caught in a rundown between third base and home in the first inning. Abby Ziegler doubled home Courtney Rose for the other run in the fourth.

“We just didn’t play good defense,’’ Butler coach Dan Bass said. ‘’That’s something we have to do.’’

Mercy 000 020 4 - 6 11 3Ballard 001 000 0 - 1 4 0WP - JJ Francis. LP - Jessica Adell. 2B - Jordan Vorbrink (M). 3B - Adell (B). Records - Mercy 32-8, Ballard 34-5.http://saxo.highschoolsports.net/article...on?Avis=B2