The Allen County-Scottsville Lady Patriot softball team opened the 2018 season
with a 7-3 victory over Franklin-Simpson Thursday afternoon in Franklin.
“It was a great team win,” AC-S coach
Robert Bunton said. “It’s always good to get that first win of the season under
your belt. I was pleased with how we came out hitting and scoring runs right
out of the gate. Sometimes we have the tendency to start slow then pick it up
but Thursday night, we came out and did our job right away and were pretty
consistent with that. I thought both of our pitchers pitched good innings and
kept the game in check. Our defense did a really good job of making plays.”
AC-S plated two runs in the first
inning on a home run by Madi Gregory. The Lady Patriots added two runs on a
double off the bat of Taylor Stamps in the top of the second. The Lady Cats pushed
solo runs across the plate in the second and third innings to cut the Lady
Patriot lead in half.
A sacrifice fly by Allie Byrn
and a two-run single by Kris-Anne Pardue enabled the Lady Patriots to open a
7-2 lead in the top of the fourth. The Lady Cats added a run in the fifth
following a two-out double by Caleigh Coats.
Pardue allowed two runs on two
hits in four innings of work. Karley Burchett closed the game giving up a run
and four hits in the game’s final three innings. Overall, Franklin-Simpson (1-1)
finished with six hits. Pardue recorded two strikeouts while Burchett notched
one strikeout.
Offensively, Stamps and Pardue
led the AC-S attack---each finishing with a pair of hits. Gregory, Jordan
Anderson, Bailey Ausbrooks, Alex Coleman, and Kassi Bullington also recorded
hits. Gregory, Stamps, and Pardue combined to plate six Lady Patriots, with
each player driving in two runs.
Coach Bunton adds that his
team will continue to tweak their play going forward.
“We just need to keep working hard in
every aspect of the game to get better no matter if its pitching, hitting,
defense or running,” Bunton noted. “We just have to have that confidence and
trust each other as a team. As long as we do that then I expect us to have a
great season.”
AC-S (1-0) was scheduled to
travel to Danville Saturday to play in the Blue Moon Insurance Showcase hosted
by Boyle County. However, due to expected weather issues, Saturday’s games have
been canceled. AC-S is slated to play at South Warren (1-0) on Monday before
opening District 15 play on Tuesday against Glasgow (1-0) at Lady Patriot
Field.