ELIZABETHTOWN – A 5-run East Bladen seventh inning rally fell one run short as St. Pauls escaped with an 11-10 Three Rivers Conference softball victory Friday night.
The Lady Bulldogs scored 4 unearned runs in the top of the seventh to stretch their lead to 11-5, before sophmore Alyssa Futrell and junior Abbie Cross started the Lady Eagle seventh with singles to centerfield. Sophmore Kayleigh Raynor lined another apparent hit to center, but St. Pauls was able to force Cross at second base.
Senior Erica McKoy hammered a double to centerfield that scored Futrell and Raynor. Junior Johanna Parker ripped a double to left that plated McKoy. Freshman Mariah Smith knocked in Parker with a single to left and raced to third base on the throw. Senior Olivia Hollingsworth’s fielder’s choice scored Smith, but a ground-out ended the game.
McKoy batted 3-4 with 2 doubles, 4 runs batted in and 2 runs scored. Parker doubled, and Smith, Futrell and Cross contributed one hit each. Parker and Smith drove in 2 runs each, and Hollingsworth had an rbi. Raynor scored 4 runs, and Smith, Futrell and Cross scored one run each.
Raynor pitched a complete-game 10-hitter and struck out 11 but only three of the St. Pauls runs were earned.
The Lady Bulldogs scored 4 runs in the top of the first on 2 singles, an error and Alicia Monroe’s rbi double.
East Bladen answered in the home first as Raynor reached base on an error and McKoy smacked a single. Parker and Smith launched sacrifice flies that scored Raynor and McKoy and trimmed the margin to 4-2.
Alaysha Blanding’s double and a couple of East errors led to two St. Pauls runs in the second that pushed the lead to 6-2. Destinee Lowery doubled home another Lady Bulldog run in the third.
Raynor reached base on an error to begin the third inning, stole second and third bases and scored on McKoy’s fielder’s choice to close the gap to 7-3.
Cross walked to begin the East Bladen fifth, and Raynor’s drive to centerfield was misplayed allowing Cross to score. McKoy yanked a double to left that scored Raynor and trimmed the lead to 7-5.
A passed third strike put the lead-off batter on base in the St. Pauls seventh. A bunt and a walk loaded the bases before Kourtney Sanchious’ 2-run double. Jivee Graham’s single plated Sanchious for an 11-5 lead.
Freshman Jordan Ivey pitched a complete-game 7-hitter for St. Pauls. Only five of the Lady Eagle runs were earned. Sanchious batted 2-4 with 3 rbi’s, and Braxtin Kinlaw also finished 2-4 at the plate.
East Bladen, now 2-3, will travel to East Columbus Tuesday night.
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