The Comets withstood a late rally to edge the Slammers 7-6 on Thursday night in Bladen Recreation 13-16 Softball League action at County Park.
Trailing 4-3, the Comets rallied with a four-run fourth inning. McKenzie Singletary belted a single to center field, and Maddie Taylor and Olivia Allen drew walks. Singletary and Taylor raced home on wild pitches. Hailey Guyton, Haley Bryan, Nyla Hunter and Kailey Heath drew walks. Hunter’s walk forced home Allen, and Guyton dashed home on a wild pitch for a 7-4 lead.
Kaitlynn Tatum led off the Slammers’ fourth with a single, stole second and third base as Kennedy Carroll walked. Tatum stole home on the back end of a double steal with Carroll. Taylor Lewis laced a single to center field that scored Carroll.
However, Taylor, the Comets’ pitcher, struck out the next two batters to end the game. Taylor pitched a six-hitter, struck out seven batters and walked three.
Taylor West pitched the first 3.1 innings for the Slammers and struck out eight batters while allowing only one hit and seven walks. Carroll relieved and pitched the final 0.2 innings.
The Comets jumped in front with a three-run first inning. Briley Stanley and Hannah Pait drew walks, but Stanley was forced at third on Singletary’s fielder’s choice. Pait stole third base then stole home on the back end of a double steal with Stanley, the courtesy runner for Singletary. Taylor, Allen and Guyton were all hit by pitches to force home Stanley for a 3-0 lead.
Kaitylnn Brisson smacked a single to right-center field to start the Slammers’ first inning. West walked, and Kaitlynn Tatum hammered a home run to center field that took a high hop over the outfielder’s head and tied the score 3-3. Carroll walloped a double to left field and scored as Lewis reached base on an error that vaulted the Slammers ahead 4-3.
Singletary connected for the only Comets’ hit. Taylor scored twice, and Stanley, Hannah Pait, Singletary, Allen and Bryan scored runs. Hunter and Guyton drove in runs.
Tatum batted 2-for-2 with the three-run homer and two runs scored to lead the Slammers’ hitters. Carroll doubled and scored twice and Brisson, Lewis and Laci Storms added one hit each. Lewis drove in a run, and West and Brisson scored one run each.
The Comets and Slammers are tied for first-place in the league with identical 2-2 records.
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