The Lady Cougars dashed around the bases with four runs in the opening frame against Pendleton County en route to an 8-0 five-inning victory in Baker on Monday.
“I’m very proud of my girls. The keys are finally stringing some of our hits together,” East Hardy Softball Coach Ashley Taylor stated.
“Some of our girls have been struggling, but they have been fixing what they need to and starting to make solid contact again so that’s a plus. That was a pretty big win for us in our conference. Hopefully we can keep building wins in our conference play.”
East Hardy pitcher Leanna Basye fielded a groundout for Lady Wildcats leadoff batter Megan Simon with the throw to first baseman Brooke Miller.
Pendleton County’s Taylor Townsend notched a single into right field, then stole second and third bases.
Basye struck out Leah Loudermilk and Townsend was stranded on a groundout by Mariah Huffman which was collected by shortstop Julia Hahn.
In the bottom of the first inning, Pendleton County pitcher Mariah Huffman issued walks to the Lady Cougars’ first two batters Lexi Strawderman and Julia Hahn.
East Hardy’s Skye Metzer bunted to Tiffany Perry along the third base line and the throw over to second base wasn’t in time to get Hahn as the bases became loaded.
Strawderman scored on a walk given to Brooke Miller to put the Lady Cougars up 1-nil.
Basye sent a grounder down the third base line and it took a wicked hop off the glove of Perry allowing Hahn to score.
East Hardy’s Emma Baker hit into a fielder’s choice with Metzer out at home plate for the first out.
Jessica Smith garnered an RBI single into left field and Rebecca Whetzel was issued a walk to lift the Lady Cougars to a 4-0 advantage.
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Madison Strawderman hit a sharp grounder to Perry, who threw to catcher Taylor Townsend making the tag on Baker and moments later Smith tried to steal home and was thrown out on a rundown.
Pendleton County started the second inning on a groundout by Rachel Walls to Hahn, then Reyenne Colaw singled into center field before being thrown out on a double play as Basye caught a line drive by Riley Rodgers and threw to Miller at first base.
Lexi Strawderman flew out to left field before Huffman walked Hahn and Metzer to give the Lady Cougars a pair of base runners.
Miller hit into a fielder’s choice as Huffman threw Hahn out at third base with the tag by Perry and the inning ended on a pop-up.
Pendleton County failed to get on base in the third inning as Basye sandwiched strikeouts to Kalee Woodward and Simon around a pop-up caught by Baker.
After a groundout by Baker, Smith and Whetzel jumped on the base path with the help of errors.
Madison Strawderman recorded an RBI single in right field and the throw to third base went out of play enabling Emily Yates to score and Strawderman advanced to third base.
Lexi Strawderman launched the ball to right field where Colaw made the catch for a sacrifice fly as Madison Strawderman scored for a 7-0 lead.
Hahn hit a blooper into right field and the ball ricocheted off Colaw’s glove to enable a second base reward before being stranded on a flyout.
In the top of the fourth inning, a walk was issued before Huffman doubled into left field to put Lady Wildcats runners in scoring position.
Basye countered with a strikeout and Colaw grounded out to Madison Strawderman at second base to nullify a scoring opportunity.
Miller and Baker singled for the Lady Cougars, then Whetzel hit into fielder’s choice to load the bases as the throw to third base went awry and the runners were stranded on a flyout.
Pendleton County got on board with a single by Loudermilk, who was later thrown out by Metzer at third base after a strikeout with Baker making the tag.
Baker ended the side with a tag at third base.
East Hardy loaded the bases again in the bottom of the fifth inning as Lexi Strawderman singled into center field, Hahn reached on an error and Metzer drew a walk.
Miller smacked the game-winning RBI single for a final score of 8-0.
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