BY MIKE MARSEE

Contributing writer

The Boyle County softball team’s reign over the region came to an end Thursday when the Lady Rebels were eliminated in the semifinals of the 12th Region Tournament at Somerset.

An 8-6 loss to Southwestern stopped Boyle’s bid for a sixth consecutive regional title and ended its string of 12 straight winning seasons.

Boyle (14-19) surrendered four runs in the first inning and trailed 7-0 after 3 1/2 innings and 8-2 entering the bottom of the seventh. A three-run double by Lauren Tipton and an RBI single by Cambry Cheek cut the margin to two runs before Southwestern (20-16) slammed the door.

Summer Ray hit her 11th home run of the season for Boyle in the sixth inning, and she closed her high school career with a school-record 32 homers.

Tipton and Courtney Sandy were named to the all-tournament team.