ST PAULS – Freshman Jerzey Jacobs and senior Roni Hightower both slugged 2-run triples to key a 7-run 6th inning that rallied St. Pauls to an 8-2 Southeastern Athletic Conference softball victory over West Bladen Friday night.
West Bladen, now 2-4 in league play and 2-7 overall, will host Fairmont Tuesday night. St. Pauls improved to 5-0 in the SAC and 13-4 overall.
West Bladen led 2-1 when Madison Locklear walked, and Ke’Mya Baldwin singled to start the St. Pauls’ rally. Kayla Williams followed with a single and an error on the play scored Madison Locklear with the tying run. Jacobs hammered her triple to right field that scored Baldwin and Williams, but Jacobs was thrown out at the plate on a throw from senior Megan Pait to junior shortstop Marlie Walters to sophomore catcher Breanna Hester.
Jada Hall singled, and Nevaeh Porter walked. Hailey Ray belted a single that scored Hall, before Hightower drilled her triple to left that scored Porter and Ray. Angel Purcell drove in Hightower with a single.
West Bladen grabbed an early 1-0 lead when junior Holland Davis pounded a triple to right field to lead-off the game. Walters drove in Davis with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Purcell blasted a home run over the right field fence to tie the score 1-1 in the St. Pauls 3rd inning.
Junior Kallie Bass crushed a triple to center field to begin the Lady Knight 6th inning. Sophomore Kali Allen appeared to have made it back-to-back triples but was called out on an appeal play at 2nd base. However, Bass did score on the play to edge West in front 2-1.
Bass batted 2-for-3 with a triple, a double and a run scored to lead the West hitters. Davis tripled and scored a run. Walters, Allen, and sophomore Natalee Sykes added 1 hit each. Allen and Walters drove in 1 run each.
Junior Marlene Crabtree started and pitched 5-plus innings for West allowing 4 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 3. Senior Gracie Faircloth worked an inning of relief and allowed 4 runs on 5 hits and a walk while striking out 1.
Jacobs batted 2-for-2 with a triple and 2 runs batted in for St. Pauls. Purcell finished 2-for-4 with a home run and 2 RBIs. Hightower slammed the 2-run triple and scored a run. Williams pitched a complete game 6-hitter and allowed 2 runs, 2 walks and struck out 2.
West Bladen 100 001 0 — 2- 6-3
St. Pauls 001 007 x — 8-10-0
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