Long-time battery mates Delphi senior catcher Kirsty Flora (left) and senior pitcher Ashley Brodar, shown here holding this year's Sectional championship trophy, played their final game together in the 3-1 loss to Winamac at the LaVille Regional on Saturday. The two have played softball together for over 10 years, and Flora has caught for Brodar for the past seven years. Photo provided Squandered opportunities.

Given the bases loaded in four different innings, the recipient of nine walks vs. none allowed, no earned runs given up, 18 batters reaching base vs. the opponent's nine, and throw in striking out the opposing side in the 1st inning most coaches would take those advantages in every game played on any day of the week.

But head coach Randy German's Delphi girls' softball team was left wondering what could have been following its 3-1 loss to Winamac at the Class 2A LaVille Regional played at Lakeville on Saturday.

The Lady Oracles were in the game until the final out when Kristina Barnard hit a shot to left-center with the bases loaded in the 7th inning, only to be snared by Warrior centerfielder Stephanie Malott to end the game.

Had it dropped, Delphi most certainly would have scored the game-tieing runs, and would have still been batting with the go-ahead run in scoring position.

Instead, the ending played out like most of the game with the Lady Oracles feeling like they were the better team, while coming up short in almost every inning they mounted a serious scoring threat.

Delphi certainly deserved better, as did senior pitcher Ashley Brodar (13-11), who took the hard-luck loss in her final game, despite not allowing an earned run, striking out six against no walks, and scattering only six hits.

But on the flip side of the stats page, more telling stats of 12 runners left on base, only four hits and four costly errors doomed the Oracles in their bid for a first-ever Regional title.

All three Winamac runs scored during innings in which Delphi's normally stellar defense betrayed them, including the game's first run in the bottom of the third inning that scored as a result of a throw to second base on an attempted steal that got by both the shortstop and centerfielder, allowing Kara Crawford, who had singled, to score from 1st base.

Aided by the nine walks given up by Warrior pitcher Rachel Mendiola, Delphi loaded the bases in the 3rd, 5th and 6th innings before finally scoring its only run in the 7th inning. That's when Brodar walked with one out, took second on a groundout and scored on an errant throw to first when Allison Cook beat out an infield single.

Kirsty Flora then beat out a grounder to short for a hit, and Alyssa Lewis walked to load the bases for the fourth and final time before Barnard's smash to center was caught for the final out.

Delphi's Brittany Tyner singled in the 5th inning, and Lewis singled in the 6th for the only other Oracle hits besides the two during the final inning rally.

Winamac (22-5) added single insurance runs in both the 5th and 6th innings to cling to the victory.

German, completing his first year as head coach of the softball program, has a lot to look forward to as he returns six sophomore starters from this season's 14-16 Sectional championship team.

Brodar, Flora, Lewis, Cook and Sam Grimes played their final games for the Lady Oracles, but laid the groundwork for future success of the program with tremendous poise and leadership.

The group leaves with two Sectional championships in the last three years, the only two in the short history of the softball program.

Winamac lost the Regional title game to Hammond Bishop Noll by a score of 6-2.

Interestingly, two of Delphi's early season opponents - Frankton (26-2) and Cass (25-2) - both advanced to the Class 2A State Finals to be played this weekend in Indianapolis.