The McLouth softball team will have their season continue next week at the 2-1A State Tournament in Pratt. 

The #1 ranked Bulldogs (23-0) got some revenge against Troy (19-3) with a 2-1 win in the Regional Championship game. The Trojans beat McLouth last season in the Regional Title game 1-0 and would go on to finish runner-up at the State Tournament. 

The headline in the title game was the pitching matchup between McLouth's Corissa Bandel and Troy's Paityn Engemann. 

Bandel finished the game with 15 strikeouts and did not allow a hit until the seventh inning when Troy's Cayley Grable hit a solo home run to get the Trojans within one but it wasn't enough. 

Bandel struck out the next two batters after that home run to secure the win. 

Engemann finished with nine strikeouts and will go down as one of the best players in the state. Engemann is committed to Central Arkansas and was last season's 2-1A Pitcher of the Year. Engemann also finished this season with 17 home runs which was one shy of tying the all-time state record that was set back in 2015. 

McLouth's two runs were scored on wild pitches with one in the first inning and the other in the fourth inning. McLouth finished with the two hits and two runs while Troy finished the game with one hit and one run. 

McLouth's Dani Lee was the story in the 10-0 semi-final win over Valley Falls as she struck out 14 while hitting two home runs and driving in five runs. 

Troy beat Riverside 11-2 in the other semi-final game earlier in the day. The Trojans entered the tournament ranked #3 in the state in 2-1A behind McLouth and Northeast Arma. 

The Bulldogs will be the lone undefeated team and will have the #1 seed at the State Tournament next week in Pratt with games on Thursday and Friday (5/25-5/26). 

POSTGAME AUDIO

McLouth Head Coach Ballard Patterson 

McLouth's Corissa Bandel