(by Don Meador, The Citizen-Times, April 4, 2019)
A ray of optimism has emerged for a young
and inexperienced Lady Patriot softball team. Allen County-Scottsville posted a
win over East Robertson Tennessee and played a close game against Boyle County
last Saturday, two days after dropping a decision to Franklin-Simpson and a
week after being run-ruled against Boyle County in Danville. Saturday’s results
were positives as the team moves into play this week the premier Bob Jones
tournament in Madison Alabama.
Saturday morning, the Lady Patriots recorded
seven hits in their 6-2 win over East Robertson. Doubles by Jae McReynolds and
Daisy Wilkerson highlighted the morning win---a victory keyed by a strong
four-run second inning.
Wilkerson’s walk to open the second started
the big inning for the hosts. With one out, Wilkerson moved to second on a
steal and later scored after a single by Hailey Traughber. After moving to
third base following a throwing error on the Lady Indians, Traughber scored the
second run of the game as Taylor Gregory reached on a blotched fielder’s choice
play. Haleigh Steenbergen reached on an East Robertson error. After Madi
Gregory singled to load the bases, McReynolds smacked a double to plate Taylor
Gregory and Steenburgen.
East Robertson (4-9) answered with two runs
in the top of the third. AC-S maintained a two-run lead until Wilkerson doubled
to lead off the fifth. Traughber reached on a bunt and proceeded to steal
second. After Wilkerson scored on another Lady Indian error, Traughber scored
after Taylor Gregory singled.
Junior Allie Byrn closed out the game,
holding East Robertson scoreless while working the final two innings in the
circle. Byrn replaced AC-S starter Karley Burchett who was forced to leave the
game in the fifth after taking a line drive off her kneecap. Prior to her exit,
Burchett had thrown 56 strikes among her 88 pitches, allowing two runs on four
hits. Byrn threw 40 pitches with 25 being strikes.
Saturday afternoon, Byrn allowed 10 hits but
a solid defensive effort by her teammates helped AC-S hold Boyle County to
three runs. Byrn threw 107 pitches, 81 of which were strikes. The junior also
struck out two batters.
Offensively, Madi Gregory opened the game
with a lead-off home run to left center. McReynolds and Madi Gregory added
singles in the first and third innings but were left stranded. The fourth
inning saw the Lady Patriots’ best opportunity to add to their lead. Ausbrooks
and Byrn singled to start the inning. After a sacrifice, Ausbrooks and Byrn’s
courtesy runner Haleigh Steenburgen moved to second and third with one out. Moments
later, Taylor Gregory was called out on an offense interference call at the
plate. Wilkerson then flied out to end the AC-S threat. The Lady Patriots would
have one baserunner the rest of the way.
Boyle County (9-2) took the lead in the
sixth. A single, two doubles, and a second single enabled the Lady Rebels to
grab a 2-1 lead. In the seventh, Boyle County a single, a steal of second, and
a second single gave Boyle County a 3-1 lead.
Madi Gregory’s play on Saturday capped a
three-day span of solid hitting---a span that included a three-hit, two RBI
game against Franklin-Simpson. However, her solid game could not keep AC-S from
dropping the 8-4 decision to the Lady Cats,
Both teams scored in the first. After the
Lady Cats pushed two runs across to start the game, Madi Gregory singled and
later scored on a Franklin-Simpson error. In the second, Taylor Gregory singled
and later scored on a double by her older sister to tie the game at two.
The Lady Cats (6-5) broke the game open with
a four-run fifth inning and a two-run sixth. After a single and double to start
the half-inning, the Lady Cats took the lead on a shortstop error. Two batters
later, the Lady Cat’s plated two runners on a double off the bat of Katie
Montague. The final Franklin-Simpson run in the inning followed. A single and
two doubles in the top of the seventh allowed Franklin-Simpson to open an 8-2
lead.
Madi Gregory homered in the seventh and
McReynolds singled, moved to second on an error, and later scored on a fielder’s
choice to pull AC-S to within four. The Lady Patriots finished with five hits.
Burchett took the loss allowing 11 hits.
AC-S (2-6) is scheduled to travel to Madison
Alabama this Friday and Saturday to participate in the Bob Jones High School
Invitational, a prestigious tournament featuring 36 teams divided into 12
pools. AC-S is guaranteed three games. Friday at 5:45, the Lady Patriots will
face Scottsboro (6-5) and follow with a 7:30 contest against Danville (10-4).
The results will determine when on Saturday AC-S will play in the bracket
portion of the tournament. Monday, the Lady Patriots will travel to East
Robertson and then host Monroe County (5-4) on Tuesday.