Seymour High School softball coach Jerry Burton knew going into Thursday’s Sectional 15 Championship match up against Bedford North Lawrence that both teams had a hunger to win.

But fate wouldn’t allow the Owls to win their first sectional title as they dropped the game 4-0 against the Stars.

“Both teams really wanted this and I know what it meant to us, but I also know how much they wanted it,” he said as the Stars were presented their trophy at home plate. “Unfortunately, tonight we didn’t come back and play with the same intensity as last night.”

The Owls defeated a tough Floyd Central team 4-2 in Wednesday’s sectional matchup and Burton said the team didn’t come out with the same intensity.

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“We got off to a bad start and let them get some early runs,” he said. “That took some pressure off them.”

Burton had to tip his hat to Stars’ pitcher Zoe Adams, who retired the Owls in order in all but two innings in the game.

“She didn’t let us hit the ball hard and kept us off balance,” he said, adding she was effective in location and keeping the Owls off balance. “We just did not do a great job of adjusting to what she was doing to us there.”

The Stars got to work early when Adams put down a bunt and Owls’ catcher Grace Meyer couldn’t hang onto pitcher Rachel Kaufman’s throw home, allowing lead off hitter Katie Nicholson to score. Nicholson had reached on a walk.

That gave the Stars an early 1-0 lead.

The Owls had a threat going with two outs in the top of the third, but Alyssa Perry struck out, stranding Meyer and Grace Rennekamp.

Adams went to work again in the third inning when she hit a ball up the middle and Sarah Stone was able to score from second to give the Stars a 2-0 lead.

The Stars’ Katie Nicholson opened the lead when she drilled a two-run home run center field fence in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Stars the 4-0 advantage.

The Owls had a threat going in the bottom of the seventh, but the Stars were able to get a double play and fly ball to end the game, sealing their Sectional 15 Champsionship title.

Burton said he thought Kaufman pitched a great game to keep the Owls within striking distance.

“I think Rachel pitched a great game last night ot give us an opportunity to win a game and you can’t ask for anymore from your pitcher than that,” he said.

Despite the defeat in the sectional championship, Burton said he thinks the team will be able to build off this season and return better next year to chase the program’s first sectional title.

“I think we have a lot of players that grew up,” he said. “There are things we need to work on, no doubt about it, but I think this was a good year for us.”