Then there was one will be today’s theme in our Morning 🌄 Brew…

Brenden Fariss has something in common with comedian Tim Allen, as the Carroll County High School junior is the winner 🏆 of the 2025 – 2026 Last Man Standing 🧍‍♂️award.

It’s 5 am. on Wednesday morning, and in a few hours, the gates will open at the Moyer Sports Park in Salem for the final day of the D3 Softball College World Series, and later tonight, it will be Texas versus Texas Tech on the Big Stage out in Oklahoma City as the D1 version enters the final stages.

Meanwhile, on The Hill, we are entering the final hours of the ASPN coverage of Carroll County High School, and we have our High Jump specialist preparing for his second straight trip to Liberty University.

The Class 3 & 4 State Track and Field meet is held at Liberty University each year, and the two day event is a sight to see. On opening day, Shawn Montgomery and Jon Delp will coach up Fariss for 30 minutes or so in his top event, the High Jump.

This will be year #4 of making the loop with our Track and Field coaches, but it will be the first time that just one Cavalier student athlete will be joining us.

The first time, it was Corrie Delp and Elijah Smith. Year two was Miss Delp and Brayden Smoot with the duo last year being Delp and Fariss. Delp finished up with a medal 🏅 in her efforts with the Long Jump.

This time around, it will just be Fariss and the coaches. The focus over the next 48 hours will be to try and create excitement ahead of the event and finish things up by attending the meet.

Here in a few minutes, Brother Osborne will send in his Bible Verse of the Day, and it will be added below this picture 📸 of his family.

John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

The next piece of the puzzle will fall into place when Girls 👧 Basketball Coach Howard Mayo checks ✔️ in with his Motovational Nugget for the Day –

Blurry photo 📸 of the Day took place on the side of I – 81 last night when I turned over the finished book that I had been working on to Nancy Sorrels !

I’m very excited about getting that finished up ! Nancy is a neat lady who is a treat to work with. She was at the helm of the Carroll County Girls Basketball book ➕️ one other in the box 📦 set we have created.

Now you know what I know, and per the norm, I conclude with the Brew sign off of Have a Blessed Day 🙌 !

Dejavu all over again, as it’s #5 @ #1 with the #1 seed being the Falcons. Once again, I’m standing next to a ball coach that I’m proud to know ! First Pitch is 6pm at Exit #283

Last night in Abingdon, it was Casey Burcham, and our Burcham Bunch that was trying hard to slay the # Falcons. While I am only six years into knowing Burcham, it would be hard for me to be any more impressed with the way that our Coach handles his business.

Tonight’s 1 vs 5 belongs to Alan Knight, and the Lady Panthers. Coach and I go back some 25 or so years, and the number of win and your In games we have experienced together has to be closing in on 20 or so. Won a few, lost a few, but as is the shorter relationship with Burcham, it’s built on the level of class shown by the Skipper.

Last night 🌙 ended in a 4-2 setback against a 5-time State Championship team, but know that the Burcham Bunch were in it until the final out. Six or seven calls that could have gone either way, and sadly, we went 0-for on the night. But that’s part of the game of baseball / softball. As Tom Hanks taught us, there’s no crying in baseball.

Dennis Zimmerman and Alan Knight

The glass half empty mindset is that Burcham is now 0-2 in the win 🏆 and your In contests. The glass half full says Burcham is 2-0 in getting to that game !!!

If it helps, Knight went 0-9 in those games early on, and once we broke through, we added three State Titles to the four he captured in volleyball 🏐 a lifetime ago.

Two great coaches who are equally impressive men off the diamond 💎 are absolutely on the opposite ends of their careers. Knight is closing in on 50 seasons now, and Burcham just finished his second year.

If you are reading this from the Carroll County side, that’s a wrap on this story. If you are a fan of Softball or you are from Page County, stick around for the game coverage coming shortly.

5:40 – Page County High School is now taking infield practice.

Craig Orndorff (right ) and one of the Falcons assistant coaches. Craig will be handling the radio 📻 broadcast of the game.

73° – First Pitch 5:59

Page County plates a run 🏃‍♀️ in the top of the first without a base hit ! 1-0, heading to the bottom of the first [6:07]

Falcons are retired in order, thanks to solid fielding from PCHS [6:10]

Bizarre ending to the top of the second, double play called on what looked to be an infield fly call. Pitcher dropped 🫳 the ball and then went 1-5-4….

Runner on 3rd with one out and Falcons pop up a bunt, leading to a 1-6 double play to end the second.

Lady Panthers plate another run 🏃‍♀️ in the top of the third inning on two base hits wrapped around a sacrifice bunt. 2-0 after 2 and 1/2 !

Falcons started a two out, nobody on rally, stringing together three base hits to tie the game at 2-2 after 3rd inning.

Page County goes down in order in the top of the fourth… we have reached halftime, tied at 2-2.

Central down in order, on to the top of the 5th, 2-2…

Top 5th, Ava Marshall with a two out single for Page but is stranded. [7:08]

Emily Finks took this pitch and stroked her second RBI single of the game.

After 5, Falcons lead 3-2 [7:14]

Kaylei Shifflet just launched a 2-run bomb 💣 over my head in left center !!!!! Lady Panthers lead 4-3.

In just one swing, Page County went from down to six outs to being 6 outs from winning !!!

7:23 – Middle of the 6th

Falcon pitcher Lexi Burkholder just laced a 2-out, 2-run home run to give the lead back to Central, 5-4.

7:37 – we head to the 7th inning now, down 5-4. Last chance for extending the season….

7:45 – Final Score, Falcons 5-4….

Closing in on 1st Pitch ! Covering Carroll County versus Abingdon baseball ⚾️ at 6 pm…. Cavs fall just short, 4-2 but we made sure the Falcons earned it.

Win and your In for our Burcham Bunch and the homestanding Falcons.

More 2 follow…

Batting Order :

#7 – Rakes, Chanson (C)

#1 – Goad, Colby

#12 – Reece, Conner (3B)

#8 – Spencer, Peyton (SS)

#4 – DeHaven, Camden

#3 – Reed, Blake (2B)

#13 – Busick, Dalton (1B)

#14 – Quesenberry, Grady

#16 – Wright, Jaden

____________________________________

5:58 – Middle of 1st, still scoreless

Moment of silence for our Deputy Utt was a classy move by the Falcons

Bottom 1st – Abingdon has two runners in scoring position, but Cavs leave them stranded !!!! End 1st 6:08

6:15 – Middle of 2nd, still scoreless…

Falcons score on a 2-out single, lead 1-0

The second run on a 2-out double. Quick visit to the mound.

6:28 – end of two, trailing 2-0.

6:33 – Middle of the third, Cavs still looking for our first base hit. Busick just missed a leadoff double as the ball went just foul.

Call to the bullpen, now pitching Colby Goad. Falcons have two on with no outs in the bottom of the 3rd.

Softball game just below is still tied 0-0

Quick Hello 👋 to our friend Allen Worrell, who is following along back home 🏡 on The Hill.

Two runs have scored, and Peyton is now on the bump.

Bases loaded, no outs, and down 4-0. The definition of crunch time ⏲️

D1 came in and went KO, KO, KO – keeping the hopes alive !!!

Goad gives us our first base runner on a HBP and then this happened….

Camden, with a 2-out single – Nicholson in to run 🏃‍♂️

Middle of the 4th now (7:06), we trail, but now it’s 4-2.

End of the 4th, still 4-2 at 7:14

Reed leads off the top of the 5th with an infield single but is called out on a bang – bang play at second base. Mid 5th at 7:22 pm, still 4-2

Abingdon strands one in the bottom of the fifth inning (7:28). The Burcham Bunch still has six more outs….

Clay just missed a leadoff home run to left. The outfielder had his back to the fence. Rakes with a single and Gravley in to run for him.

2-out walk brings one of our bash brothers up as the tying run. Can Reece make lightning 🌩 strike twice ?

Reece with a flair to center and now we have runners on second and third. Colton Q to run at second base.

Spencer at the dish ……….fingers crossed

6-3 ground out ends the rally bit Spencer made it a close play at 1st base. [7:39]

7:45 – we head to the top of the 7th inning as there is one last chance for our Cavs!

Leading off – DeHaven….F8

Now batting – Reed…. single to right

Busick – works the count full after 0-2, earns a base on balls.

Our Cavs are batting to the very end !!!

Falcons make their initial pitching change…

#Drama

Grady at the dish with the tying runs on base.

Question on a wild pitch at 0-2, it appeared to his foot. Not called, but both runners advance !!!! A single ties 👔 it

Very tough call on a check swing, VERY tough call. Two outs now

#11 ( Clay) – 3/0 count, game ends on a 1-3 ground out at 8:01.

Things to remember about tonight :

We showed up to support our team !
Our team was prepared by a dedicated coaching staff.
We didn’t give up when we trailed 4-0 and they has the bases loaded with no outs.
We were represented incredibly well by our Burcham Bunch