HORATIO – Parkers Chapel scratched out four runs on four hits and Drue Thomas did what Drue Thomas does in the circle Thursday as the Lady Trojans beat Poyen 4-1 in the 2A-South Regional Softball Tournament.
The win earned PC a berth in next week’s 2A State Tournament. The Lady Trojans improved to 15-9 and will play today at noon against either Murfreesboro or Fordyce.
“Our girls showed incredible focus and intensity despite outside situations that were beyond our control,” said PC coach Miranda Carlisle. “They showed great fight and we’re going to rest up and continue to improve going into the next tough games.”
Thomas allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out 14 batters in seven innings. The Drexel signee didn’t allow a hit after the third inning.
The Lady Trojans scored two in the bottom of the second. Taylor Fortune and Madison Arnold both walked and advanced on a wild pitch. Ali Looney drove in Fortune with a sacrifice fly.
The Lady Indians tied the game in the top of the third on a walk, single and an error.
Parkers Chapel grabbed the lead for good with two runs in the bottom of the third. Macie Wood reached on an error and Reaux McAuliffe walked. Bella Frisby’s sacrifice advanced the runners to second and third. Thomas drove in a run with a single and Kallie Martin brought McAuliffe in with a sacrifice fly.
PC added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Looney singled and went to second on an error. Maddie Wylie’s ground out moved Looney to third, where she scored on a single by Wood.
Thomas retired the final 17 batters in a row and struck out the last two to end the game.
Poyen’s Kodee Batchelor allowed just four hits with four strikeouts and three walks. The Lady Indians committed four errors to just one for PC.
Looney had two hits for the Lady Trojans.