BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

MEDICINE LODGE — Ellinwood trailed Medicine Lodge 1-0 when Brittney Beck ignited the game-winning rally with a grand-slam homer.
Medicine Lodge pitcher Mecate Thomas shut out the Eagles for five innings until Ellinwood scored six runs in the sixth inning. The Eagles rallied past the Indians 6-3 in the semifinals and captured the 2A regional softball championship with a 12-3 victory over Elkhart.
Ellinwood pitcher Allison Panning earned wins in both games, striking out 14 Elkhart batters and seven Medicine Lodge hitters.
The Eagles (16-6) placed state runner-up to Valley Falls last year. Elkhart ends with a 17-3 record and Medicine Lodge ends at 12-5.
ELLINWOOD 6, MEDICINE LODGE 3 – Allison Panning singled and Kaitlyn Robinson walked to start the sixth-inning rally. Eline Hansen reached base on an error. Kaitlyn Robinson singled home Robinson for a 2-1 lead. Beck launched her homer for a 6-1 lead that scored Hansen, Kaitlyn Panning and Lauren Petz.
Allison Panning yielded one earned run.
ELLINWOOD 12, ELKHART 3 – Ellinwood broke open a tight game with a six-run seventh inning gainst Elkhart. Kaitlyn Panning doubled and tripled and drove in two runs. Beck doubled and tripled and drove in a run. Robinson doubled and drove in two runs. Allison Panning singled home a run.
EAGLES 6, INDIANS 3
EHS 000 006 0 — 6 10 3
ML 000 102 0 — 3 2 0
A. Panning and Beck. Thomas and Hernandez. W—A. Panning. L—Thomas. HR—E—Beck.
EAGLES 12, ELKHART 3
EHS 001 140 6 — 12 16 5
ML 010 011 0 — 3 5 5
A. Panning and Robinson. Hanna and Sanchez. W—A. Panning. L—Thomas. 2B—E—Beck, K. Panning, Robinson. 3B—E—Beck, K. Panning.

2A STATE QUALIFIERS
PRATT, GREEN COMPLEX
Sedan 20-1
Chase County 19-2
Leon-Bluestem 16-2
Ellinwood 16-6
Pittsburg Colgan 4-19
ALMA—Belleville-Republic County 17-3 vs. Alma-Wabaunsee 13-8, Wednesday
MOUNDRIDGE—Moundridge 13-7 vs. Canton-Galva 5-14, Wednesday
BROOKVILLE—Salina Sacred Heart 12-6 vs. Sylvan Grove-Lucas-Wilson 6-11; Ellis 8-8 vs. Ell-Saline 8-11, Wednesday