The Mountain Lions shredded East Hardy in their first game of the season on the road in Baker by a score of 14-6 in six innings.
Tucker County pitcher Peyton Hicks recorded ten strikeouts and allowed eight hits in the complete game win and added two hits batting at the plate with three runs scored and two RBI.
“First game of the season for us with all the girls coming back from state basketball. We go right into softball from basketball.Makenna Evans is one of our basketball girls and got that big home run. I had her bunt earlier and she built confidence. Peyton Hicks started for us on the mound and did well. It wa a good sectional opponent for us and it is just East Hardy and us in the sectional this year,” Tucker County coach Jonathan Hicks noted.
East Hardy starting pitcher Ginger Combs went 5.1 innings allowing 15 hits with two strikeouts, then Madison Strosnider closed out the game with two strikeouts.
“I’m proud of the growth we are making and where we are in the season, as well as our effort to keep fighting during games. Ginger pitched exactly the way we needed her to; she was hunting for swings and threw strikes to make it happen. Madison then came in and did the exact same thing, and I;m proud of them both as well,” East Hardy coach Noah Orndorff commented.
“Defensively we are going to keep growing and striving for improving. I put this game on my shoulders, as I feel I should have managed it better. I amproud of the at bats our team is taking.”
Tucker County jumped out to a 7-0 lead over the first four innings before the Cougars pounced back with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to close the gap to 7-4.
The Mountain Lions would outscore the Cougars 3-2 in the fifth inning and added four runs in the sixth inning to seal the mercy rule win.
Tucker County’s Ava Shaffer reached on an error to start the game, then East Hardy left fielder Jaylynn Combs caught a fly ball before a RBI single by Sutton Pase.
After an error, East Hardy center fielder Taylor McReynolds caught a fly ball and the side ended on a fielder’s choice out by third baseman Madison Strosnider applying the tag.
The Cougars went down in order on two strikeouts and a groundout.
Tucker County’s Carlee Nicholas smacked a double in the second inning with one out, then Reagan Herron notched a single before a fielder’s choice by Cortney Shaffer.
After a walk, Shaffer scored on an error and Pase hit an RBI single for a 3-0 lead.
Fast forward to the fourth inning where more fireworks happened as Isabella Loucks hit a two-run producing single for the Mountain Lions.
Isabella Bennett notched an RBI sacrifice fly and Rylee White plated a run on a pop fly error for a 7-nil lead.
The Cougars responded with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Strosnider singled for the Cougars, then Brooke Moyers hit into a fielder’s choice with Strosnider safely reaching second base.
East Hardy’s Gracie Heishman singled down the first base line to load the bases.
Combs smashed a bases clearing 3-RBI triple into right field and Heishman made a slide into home plate with her feet kicking high into the air.
Paylynn Rexrode recorded an RBI groundout as the Cougars sliced the deficit to 7-4.
Tucker County’s Makenna Evans crushed a three-run home run for a 10-4 lead.
Strosnider garnered a single in the bottom of the fifth inning, then Heishman and Jaylynn Combs smacked back-to-back RBI singles with two outs to make it 10-6.
Tucker County closed out the game scoring four more runs for the 14-6 win in Baker.
