DUBLIN – Senior Madison Collins raced home with the winning run on a throwing error in the bottom of the eighth inning and lifted West Bladen to an 8-7 Three Rivers Conference softball victory over St. Pauls on Senior Night Friday.
Collins slammed a hit off the thirdbaseman with one out in the eighth inning. Senior Brittney Landreth dropped down a sacrifice bunt, and the St. Pauls firstbaseman dug out a wild throw to retire Landreth, but her low throw to third base skipped away and allowed Collins to score the winning run.
The Lady Bulldogs took a 7-2 lead into the home half of the sixth inning. Sophmore Kyla Reed reached base on a fielder’s choice for the Lady Knights. Sophmore Alara Cashwell ripped a double down the leftfield line, and Reed later darted home on a wild pitch.
Junior Carley Dawson beat out an infield hit, and Collins fielder’s choice scored Cashwell. Carley Dawson sprinted home on a throwing error as Landreth reached base.
Freshman Alyssa Suggs walloped a double over the leftfielder’s head that scored Landreth. Senior Elizabeth Allbright beat out an infield hit, and a throwing error on the play scored Suggs and tied the game 7-7.
“The girls didn’t give up,” said West Bladen Coach Pam Stephens. “They really battled tonight.”
Carley Dawson crushed a home run over the left-centerfield fence to begin the West Bladen second inning and put the Lady Knights up 1-0.
St. Pauls answered with a pair of unearned runs in the third inning on 2 hits and 2 passed balls.
West Bladen tied the game 2-2 in the fourth inning. Reed beat out an infield hit, and Cashwell pounded a double to left-centerfield that scored Reed.
St. Pauls added 2 runs in the fifth inning on 4 straight hits. Doubles by Destinee Lowery and Kourtney Sanchious highlighted the inning.
The Lady Bulldog lead grew to 7-2 in the top of the sixth inning. Danielle Gray drove in one run with a single, and pitcher Brianna Brewer hammered a double to right-centerfield that scored two more runs.
Cashwell batted 2-4 with two doubles and a run batted in to lead the Lady Knight hitters. Carley Dawson slugged a solo home run. Suggs doubled home a run and scored one. Landreth, Collins, Reed and Allbright connected for one hit each.
Reed, Collins and Landreth scored one run each. Collins also drove in a run.
Collins scattered 12 hits over her 8 innings of work in the circle. Collins struck out a season-high 12 batters, walked none, hit a batter and allowed 7 runs – 5 earned.
“Madison pitched a great game,” said Coach Stephens. “She struck out twelve – the most that she has all season.”
Brewer batted 3-5 with 3 rbi’s and 2 runs scored. Danielle Gray was 2-5 with an rbi and 2 runs scored. Lowery and Sanchious added a double each.
Brewer struck out 8 batters for St. Pauls and allowed 3 earned runs on a walk and 8 hits.
West Bladen improved to 9-7 in Three Rivers Conference play and 10-11 overall. The Lady Knights will travel to South Columbus Tuesday night.
Playing their final home game for the Lady Knights were seniors Brittney Landreth, Alise Pait, Abby Dawson, Madison Collins and Elizabeth Allbright.
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