FAIRMONT – East Bladen survived a furious Fairmont rally in the 7th inning and defeated the Lady Tornadoes 9-6 in Three Rivers Conference softball action Thursday night.
The Lady Eagles took a 9-3 lead into the bottom of the 7th, but Macie Huggins beat out an infield hit, Alexis Hinson reached on an error, and junior Santana Anderson slugged a 3-run home run to slice the lead to 9-6.
Sophomore Lindsey Floyd swatted a single to left, and Alyana Oxendine walked to bring the tying run to the plate. However East Bladen senior Kayleigh Raynor retired the next 3 batters on a pop-up, a strikeout and a ground-out to preserve the Lady Eagle victory.
Raynor scattered 9 hits and struck out 7 batters to pick up the complete game win. Only 3 of Fairmont’s runs were earned, and Raynor only walked 2 batters.
Sophomore Karli Priest batted 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored and 2 runs batted in to lead the East hitters. Raynor, sophomores Emma Turbeville and AnnaGrey Heustess and seniors Alyssa Futrell and Carlie West connected for one hit each.
Turbeville and sophomore Maegan Burney scored 2 runs each, and Raynor, sophomore Laura Davisson, and freshman Dyiamon Robinson scored one run each. Futrell and Heustess drove in 2 runs each, and Davisson had a RBI.
The Lady Eagles jumped in front with 3 runs in the 1st inning. Raynor and Davisson reached base on errors, and Turbeville walked – all 3 of them scored after a fielder’s choice and an error.
Anderson and Floyd cracked singles in the Fairmont 1st inning, and Anderson scored to whittle the East lead to 3-1.
Priest led off the Lady Eagle 3rd inning with a single but was retired as Burney reached base on a fielder’s choice. Heustess knocked in Burney with a single to rightfield that padded the lead to 4-1.
Robinson reached base on an error, stole 2nd base, advanced on a fielder’s choice and darted home on Davisson’s sacrifice fly to push the lead to 5-1 in the 4th inning. Priest started the 5th inning with a single, and Futrell belted a single that scored Priest and pushed the lead to 6-1.
Anderson clubbed a double to start the Fairmont 6th inning, Oxendine walked, and an error and sophomore Gabrielle Jones’ single plated 2 runs and sliced the lead to 6-3.
Turbeville ripped a single to left-center field, and Priest cracked a single to begin the Lady Eagle 7th inning. Burney was hit by a pitch, and Heustess reached base on an error. Turbeville, Priest and Burney all scored as the East lead grew to 9-3.
Anderson batted 3-for-4 with the homer, a double, 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored to lead the Fairmont hitters. Floyd finished 2-for-4 at the plate.
Coach Chris Davisson’s Lady Eagles improved to 4-1 in league play and 5-5 overall. East Bladen will host St. Pauls Tuesday at 6 p.m.
About Author
