By JIM STEELE
mckenzierebels.com

HUNTINGDON - All-state pitcher Brooke Thomas is pretty darned good. She sports a 20-6 record, has a rise ball that defies the laws of physics and her defense often can do its homework or update Facebook pages when she is in the circle.

If anyone has trouble swalling that fact, just ask McKenzie hitters. In four games, Thomas has struck out 66 Lady Rebels, including 15 Thursday afternoon in the District 13A softball championship.

Maybe that's why Thomas is an all-stater and MVP of the 13A tournament.

McKenzie suffered a 10-0 loss to the Fillies but have a rebirth. The Lady Rebels visit South Fulton in the first round of the Region 7A tournament. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. at the Lady Red Devils' park.

"If we play the way we know how and play heads up ball, we have a chance," said Lady Rebel coach Jessica Hardy. "We can't make errors and we have to hit better. When we make errors or don't hit well, we get rattled."

McKenzie had a hard time catching up to Thomas's repertoire. She fanned the first 15 batters she faced, then seemed to suffer some sort of muscle strain in her hip. She finished the inning, but was relieved by Keliea Sullivan in the sixth. In the sixth, MHS freshman Kelsie Poore led off with a hit, then, with two out, sophomore Evan Hudgins singled. But both runners were stranded. In the fifth, freshman Kelsie Carr roped a long line drive down the right field line with two out in the fifth, but Thomas came back, despite being shaken up a bit, to fan her.

Huntingdon scored two in the first, four in the second, one in the fourth and fifth and ended the game early on Diedra Jordan's two-run opposite-field homer in the sixth.

Tenisha Carey, Trevatia Bowden, Sarah Owen and Kelsie Poore were named first-team all-district. Crystal Doub and Colby Prosser earned honorable mention.

In other tournament action:

McKENZIE 17, CLARKSBURG 4: McKenzie fell behind 4-0 and visions of last year's 6-0 District 13A upset in this exact same round danced in the minds of the Lady Rebels.

But they exploded for eight runs in the third and nine in the fourth. There was a scary moment when Lady Rebel senior Lesley Robertson laced a line shot right back through the box and hit Clarksburg pitcher Erica Yarbro right in the solar plexus. To Yarbro's credit and courage, she stayed in the game, but later went to the hospital where she remained overnight. She was slowed, but appeared to be okay for the all-district presentation on Thursday.

Tenisha carey cracked two doubles and a single, Kelsie Poore had a triple and a single, Kate Barcroft walked twice and doubled, Evan Hudgins doubled, Kelsey Carr singled and Robertson singled.

McKenzie advanced to the district championship with this victory while Clarksburg was eliminated.

HUNTINGDON 4, McKENZIE 0: In winner's bracket play, Huntingdon's Brooke Thomas struck out 17 as the Fillies advanced to the final round of the District 13A championship. Huntingdon managed a run in the first and three in the second.

The loss moved McKenzie into a do-or-die game against Clarksburg.