ELIZABETHTOWN – The Force built an early 7-0 lead then withstood a furious Comet rally and claimed an 8-7 victory Thursday in Bladen Recreation 11-13 softball action at Bladen County Park.
A 6-run Comet rally in the 2nd inning whittled the margin to 7-6, before the Force tacked on an insurance run in the 3rd inning. Zariah Dill and Lilly Hester walked, and Chloe Merritt cracked a single that scored Dill and padded the lead to 8-6.
Karlee Jolley walked and Bella Inman reached base on an error that scored Jolley in the bottom of the 3rd inning and trimmed the final margin to 8-7.
Mollie Sasser struck out 6 batters and pitched all 3 innings for the Force. Avianna Whittington struck out 5 batters and worked all 3 innings in the circle for the Comets.
Merritt, Addison Douglas, Makynzee Thompson, Ruby Liggitt and Chloe Mazur all drew walks in the 1st inning for the Force and Emma Fisher was hit by a pitch. Merritt, Douglas, Fisher and Thompson all scored to put the Force up 4-0.
Sasser walloped a solo home run in the Force 2nd inning, Douglas and Thompson walked, and Fisher was hit by a pitch. Douglas and Fisher both scored to stretch the lead to 7-0.
Brooklynn McKee, Isabel Gardner, Angelina Jones and Whittington all drew walks in the Comet 2nd inning. Jolley and Alyssa Chavis were both hit by pitches, and Inman and Keri Faye Burgess both reached base on errors. McKee, Jolley, Inman, Gardner, Chavis and Jones all scored runs to slice the lead to 7-6.
Whittington smacked a 1st inning single for the Comets. Inman put the ball in play twice, and Burgess reached on an error. Sasser slugged the home run, and Merritt belted a single for the Force.
Force 431 — 8
Comets 061 — 7
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