The end of a season never comes easily, no matter how successful it has been, especially when there are lingering feelings of what could have been.

The Lady Oracles left the field Saturday afternoon with a whole lot to be proud of and with nothing to hang their heads about after a successful season came to an end at the hands of Madison-Grant at the Class 2A Eastern (Greentown) Regional by a final score of 2-0.

Madison-Grant (25-3) took a page from the Lady Oracles' season-long routine for success by scoring what turned out to be the only runs it would need in the 1st inning on a 2-out, 2-run homer over the right field fence.

It has been the other way around all season for Delphi (23-9), who lost in the regional opener for the third time in the last five years.

In fact, the Oracles scored at least a run in the 1st inning in 21 games this season and scored two runs or more in their first at-bat 16 times, while averaging over nine runs and almost 12 hits per contest.

Delphi started the game in usual fashion with its first two batters reaching base safely after a lead-off single to right from Whitney Arion and Kayla Yates was hit by a pitch. This time could not advance them.

"We had a great year, and I'm proud of every one of my girls' efforts," third-year Oracle coach Randy German said. "Madison-Grant is a great team and if not for the home run in the first inning, we might still be playing at 0- 0 in the bottom of the seventh."

Despite a strong effort from Argyll pitcher Sara Webster (19-2), who held the Lady Oracles to a season low - tying four hits and shut them out for the first time this year, Delphi would not go home quietly as it had a couple of late rallies to keep it interesting.

In the top of the 5th, Kristina Barnard led off with a single to right field and one out later, advanced to 3rd base on a Brittany Tyner double to right-center.

But Delphi could not execute on two separate bunt plays, popping out to the catcher both times before its leading-hitter, Arion, flew out to deep right field to end the threat.

In the 6th inning, Yates ledoff with a single, but was called out on the bases after making contact with the second baseman on Carli Rouhier's sharp groundball that possibly would have put two on with none out.

"We just couldn't get anything going offensively today," German said. "We left five runners on base when almost all season long we have come up with a clutch hit of some kind when we needed it, but we have a good nucleus coming back and have a lot to be excited about for next year".

Delphi's Brittney Atwood (17-8) was equally as impressive on the mound, allowing only three Argyll hits and striking out four to take the hard-luck loss.

Lewis Cass (19-11) won the regional championship Saturday night, defeating Madison-Grant 2-1 in 8 innings.