03/28/2024
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ELIZABETHTOWN – Catcher Kaitlyn Hunt slugged a grand-slam home run to key an 8-run, seventh inning that carried Fairmont to a 13-6 Three Rivers Conference softball victory over East Bladen Tuesday night.

East Bladen took a 6-5 lead into the seventh, but an error, a bloop single and Kaylee McMillan’s double tied the game. After a walk, Hunt’s blast to left-centerfield vaulted Fairmont in front 10-6. Four more hits and a walk padded the lead to 13-6.

The Lady Eagles grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Junior Anna Kate White legged out an infield hit, and freshman Alyssa Futrell lined a single to right-centerfield. White darted home on a wild pitch, and Futrell scored on sophmore Abbie Cross’ fielder’s choice.

Senior pitcher Kaley Smith retired the first ten Fairmont batters of the game until the Lady Tornadoes used 3 hits and a wild pitch to tie the game 2-2 in the fourth inning.

Futrell yanked a single into the short-third hole in the Lady Eagle fourth. Cross reached on an infield hit, and junior Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson’s fielder’s choice scored Futrell and edged East Bladen ahead 3-2.

A hit batter and 3 more Fairmont hits rallied the visitors into a 5-3 lead in the fifth inning.

East Bladen bounced back with 3 runs in the home sixth to take a 6-5 lead. White drew a lead-off walk, and Futrell slammed a double into left-centerfield that scored White. Moore-Peterson beat out a bunt single.

Raynor reached base on a fielder’s choice, and junior Erica McKoy swatted a hit off the pitcher that scored Futrell and Moore-Peterson.

Futrell batted 3-4 with a double, an rbi and 3 runs scored to lead the Lady Eagle hitters. McKoy finished 3-4 with an rbi. Raynor doubled and drove in a run. Smith, White, Cross, and Moore-Peterson added one hit each.

Moore-Peterson and Cross drove in one run each. White scored 2 runs, and Moore-Peterson scored one.

Smith pitched the first 4.2 innings then returned to the circle in the seventh inning. She struck out two, walked 3 and allowed 11 runs – 6 earned – on 13 hits. Raynor pitched 1.1 innings of relief and gave up 3 runs – 2 earned – on 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out one.

Pitcher Kaylee McMillan batted 4-5 with 2 doubles to lead the Fairmont hitters. Teammate Emma McMillan also batted 4-5, and Hunt finished 2-4 at the plate with the grand-slam homer. Mya Strickland was 2-5 with 2 doubles.

East Bladen will host South Brunswick Wednesday at 5 p.m. in a non-conference game.

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