LUMBERTON – Purnell Swett defeated West Bladen 11-1 Saturday in the opening round of the Robeson County Slugfest Softball Tournament.
Both teams put three runners on base via walks in the first two innings, but all of them were stranded on base.
Sophmore Alara Cashwell drilled a 2-out double to leftfield in the West Bladen third inning but was also left on base.
Junior Jaileana Deese ripped a double to left in the Purnell Swett third, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly. A trio of 2-out singles produced another run and put the Lady Rams up 2-0.
A pair of Lady Knight errors plus run-scoring singles by Deese and Magan Barton and an rbi double by Madison Strickland opened up a 6-0 Lady Ram lead in the fourth.
Senior Madison Collins swatted a lead-off single down the rightfield line in the Lady Knight fifth inning, and freshman Alyssa Suggs walked. One out later sophmore Kyla Reed hammered a double to left-centerfield to drive in Collins.
However, Swett rightfielder Kierra Locklear hauled in Cashwell’s long drive and doubled a runner off second to end the inning with the Lady Rams up 6-1.
An error, a walk, a misplay on a fielder’s choice and three straight Swett hits produced five more runs and ended the game on the mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth.
Reed and Cashwell slugged doubles to lead the Lady Knight hitters. Collins singled and scored a run, and Reed drove in a run.
Collins started and finished the game in the circle. Freshman Shelby Pharr came on in relief in the fourth and worked an inning, but Collins returned in the fifth. Collins walked 4 and allowed 5 runs – 4 earned on 7 hits. Pharr gave up 6 runs – one earned – on 5 hits and a walk.
Deese pitched a 3-hitter and walked four to pick up the win. At the plate Deese was 3-4 with a double and 3 runs batted in. Barton batted a perfect 3-3 with an rbi, and Strickland was 2-4 with a double.
West Bladen, now 6-6, will play Red Springs Monday at 10 a.m. in a consolation bracket game.
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