Kev Moyé
News-Times Staff
PARKERS CHAPEL – In what was a marathon affair, Bearden outscored the Junction City Lady Dragons 15-11 Thursday.
Due to the loss, the Lady Dragons' season reached its conclusion.
Throughout this contest, the two combatants controlled the game with opportunistic offense. However, the miscues is what ultimately led to Junction City's demise.
The Lady Bears distributed the biggest blow of this affair during the fifth.
With two outs recorded, Junction City trailed 7-6. However, the Bearden offense exploded altering the culture of this contest.
Shelby Young was walked and Mallory Nutt hit an infield single. Alex Murray then ripped and RBI triple to center field. Kayla Pennington was walked to load the bases. Holly Pennington was also walked increasing the Bearden lead to 9-6.
The Lady Dragons fell further behind when Evie Porter reached base for an infield single. In the process, Bearden scored another run. Up next was Carrington Word and she made contact with a pitch from Julia Rogers. Junction City was unable to cleanly field the ball as an error was made at second base.
What that led to was Bearden adding a pair of runs to its advantage. Now facing a 12-6 deficit, the Lady Dragons finally recorded the third out of the fifth when Briana Luther hit a pop fly.
However, the fifth seeded Lady Dragons didn't wilt.
In the top of the sixth they scored a pair of runs thanks to Destinee Hildreth and Addyson Yeager reaching base due to walks, Taylor Smith being hit by a pitch, and a Bearden error.
With the score now 12-8, Hannah McDonald was walked. But the Lady Dragons' sixth inning surge was quelled before they scored another run.
As was the theme of this lengthy contest, one team scored, and the other would have an immediate response. In the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Bears scored three times.
Nutt hit an RBI double and Murray contributed an RBI single as the Bearden advantage had swelled to 14-8. After a single from Kayla Pennington, Holly Pennington got on base due to a Junction City error. A run was scored increasing the Lady Bears' lead to 15-8.
Bearden, a four seed, was unable to move another runner across the plate as they carried a 15-8 advantage into the seventh.
With its season on the line, Junction City battled.
Memory Hall hit a one-out single. Following a strikeout, Smith was hit by a pitch. Ali Bentley followed with a single.
The bases were loaded for Yeager who was hit by a pitch. One run was scored making it a 15-9 game.
The following batter was Rogers and she was walked. That led to Junction City slicing the Bearden cushion to 15-10. McDonald kept the Lady Dragon hopes alive when she hit an RBI infield single.
But, this affair came to an end when Butler grounded out as Bearden held on for a 15-11 triumph.
The tenor of this game was set in the top of the first inning.
That's when the Lady Dragons grabbed a 1-0 lead after Taykeetria Rogers was walked, and Hall put down a sac-bunt which led to a Bearden error on a pick-off throw to third. The off-target heave allowed Rogers to easily cross the plate, giving Junction City a 1-0 lead.
However, in the bottom of the inning, Bearden scored five runs on three hits, two walks, and three Lady Dragon errors.
With Bearden ahead 5-1, Junction City went back on the attack in the third.
Rogers and Hall both hit singles. With runners on first and third, Hildreth blasted a 3-run homer to left making the score 5-4.
Junction City tied the game in the fourth when Hildreth hit an RBI single to left field, allowing Butler to score from second base.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Lady Bears regained control by scoring two runs on one hit, an RBI sac-fly, and a Junction City fielder's choice.
Trailing 7-5, the Lady Dragons scored a run in the fifth when Butler hit a single to center field that allowed Yeager to score.
Clinging to a 1-run lead, Bearden put together a two-out, five run rally in the fifth to claim control of this game. And Junction City was unable to get over the hump.
For the Lady Bears, they were led offensively by Nutt who had four hits while, Pennington and Porter both had three hits.
Junction City's offense was spearheaded by Bentley who had three hits. McDonald and Hildreth both had two hits apiece.
Rogers was the losing pitcher. Meanwhile, Holly Pennington earned the victory.
In game two of the day, Rison upended Hermitage 7-1.