ELIZABETHTOWN – Freshman Johanna Parker blasted a walk-off triple that drove in the winning run and lifted East Bladen to an 11-10 Four County Conference softball victory over Clinton Monday night.
The Lady Dark Horses took a 10-9 lead with an unearned run in the sixth inning. East Bladen rallied in the home seventh. Sophmore Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson reached base on an error and stole second base. Freshman Abby Cross walked.
Junior Faith Johnson reached base as Moore-Peterson scored the tying run but Cross was retired. After pitcher Kaley Smith walked, Parker slammed her triple that scored pinch-runner Adrienne Howell with the winning run.
The Lady Eagles pounded out 13 hits in the game led by Parker who finished 3-5 at the plate with a triple, a double, 4 runs batted in and 2 runs scored. Freshman Izzy Smith batted 2-3 with 2 rbi’s and a run scored.
“The girls hit the ball good tonight,” said East Bladen Coach Patty Evers.
Cross was 2-4 at the plate with an rbi and a run scored. Johnson batted 2-4 with a run scored. Kaley Smith doubled in a run and scored twice. Sophmore Olivia Hollingsworth hammered a 3-run triple.
Sophmore Anna Kate White cracked an rbi single and scored a run. Moore-Peterson belted a single and scored twice.
After Clinton took a 1-0 lead, the Lady Eagles answered with 3 runs in the bottom of the first. Cross led off with a single, and Johnson followed with a single. Junior Kaley Smith laced a double that scored Cross, and Parker knocked in Johnson and Kaley Smith with a single.
Moore-Peterson singled, stole a base and raced home on Cross’ sacrifice fly to centerfield in the second inning. Kaley Smith reached base on a fielder’s choice and dashed home when Parker smashed a double that padded the lead to 5-1.
The Lady Eagles widened the gap to 9-1 with 4 runs in the fourth inning. Johnson belted a one-out single, Kaley Smith was hit by a pitch, but Parker’s fielder’s choice forced Johnson at third base.
Izzy Smith drove in Kaley Smith with a single, and after White was hit by a pitch, Hollingsworth cleaned the bases with a triple that scored Parker, Izzy Smith and White.
Clinton tied the game 9-9 with 8 runs in the fifth on 8 hits and 3 errors. Pitcher Hailee Stone batted 4-5 to lead the visitors attack. Teammates Amber Strickland, Markaysia Hobbs, Keona Hill and Naomi Miller connected for 2 hits each.
“This was a great win for the girls tonight,” said Lady Eagle Coach Patty Evers. “Emily (Scott) was out sick with a virus tonight, and Abby Cross did an outstanding job behind the plate.”
The Lady Eagles improved to 1-4 in Four County play and 2-5 overall. East Bladen will host Union Tuesday at 6 p.m.
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