Opening the Owensville Softball Tournament Saturday morning with a tough 4-3 loss to Pacific, Hannah Koppelmann’s Dutchgirls battled back throughout the rest of the day at OHS Field and made some history in the process.

Keeping their tourney title hopes alive with a 9-3 win over Vienna, OHS then became Lady Eagle fans hoping they would knock off Pacific to drop them to 2-1 in the tournament.

Following Vienna’s 7-5 win over the Lady Indians, Owensville was now in the driver’s seat just needing a win over Russellville to secure their first OHS Tournament Title in the 20-year history of the event.

Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the second inning, Owensville turned five hits and three walks into seven runs and a commanding 9-3 lead.

Limiting Russellville to two runs the rest of the way, Dutchgirl freshman hurler Hannah Keeney earned the win following a 10-5 victory over Russellville helping the orange and black keep the championship plaque in town by virtue of the run differential tiebreaker.

“I’m so proud of our girls and the history they made,” Koppelmann said. “It could’ve been a long day after that tough loss to Pacific to open the tournament. However, we were able to put in behind us and come back to beat a good Vienna team before capping the day with a good win over Russellville.”

Against Russellville, senior shortstop Emma Daniels turned a pair of inning-ending double plays that stalled potential Lady Indian scoring threats.

“I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time on those double plays,” Daniels said. “It felt great helping my team win our first home tournament title.”

Clara Julius started the bottom of the first inning reaching on an error before a Keeney double moved her to third base.

Julius and Keeney both scored on a Kate Blankenship 2-RBI double trimming Russellville’s lead to 3-2 after one inning.

Striking out the side in the top of the second, Keeney gave her Dutchgirl offense a chance to take the lead in the bottom half of the second inning.

Freshman Lainey Moss led off the bottom second inning with a walk followed by another walk to Cailin Floyd.

Batting in the number nine slot, freshman Cameron Ryerson singled home Moss tying the game at 3-3.

Daniels walked to load the bases only to have Julius give OHS a 4-3 lead with a RBI single scoring Floyd.

Two pitches later, Keeney helped her own cause with a bases-clearing triple scoring Ryerson, Daniels and Julius bumping the Dutchgirl lead to 7-3 still with no outs recorded.

Junior center fielder Bailee Dare drove in Keeney with a RBI double making OHS’ lead 8-3.

Dare took third on a passed ball before Blankenship capped Owensville’s seven-run second inning with a RBI ground out giving OHS a 9-3 lead.

Keeney pitched around a walk and an error in the top of the third inning while getting help from Daniels and her inning-ending double play.

After a scoreless third inning, Dare doubled and scored on a Blankenship RBI double in the bottom of the fourth inning giving the Dutchgirls their 10th and final run against the Lady Indians from Cole County.

Earlier in the tournament against Vienna, Owensville scored three runs in the top of the first and second innings helping them to a 9-3 victory over the Lady Eagles.

During the top of the first inning, Daniels led the game off reaching on a dropped third strike before scoring on a Keeney RBI single for an early 1-0 Dutchgirl lead.

With two outs, Blankenship singled setting up Danika Hinson with two on and two out.

On an 0-1 count, Hinson dumped a two-RBI double to center field scoring Keeney and Blankenship for a 3-0 Owensville lead.

Floyd retired Vienna in order in the bottom of the first keeping OHS in front 3-0 after one frame.

Another two-out rally ensued for Owensville in the top of the second inning.

Daniels singled and scored before a Moss RBI double made it 4-0 Owensville.

Wasting no time, Keeney deposited the very next pitch over the center-field fence for a two-run home run and a 6-0 Dutchgirl lead.

Trading runs with Vienna during the third, fourth and sixth innings.

Floyd earned the win allowing three runs on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

Keeney led the OHS offense with three hits, two runs scored and five RBIs.

In their 4-3 loss to Pacific opening the tournament, Hinson led the Dutchgirls with two hits, a run scored and a RBI.