The Bell County softball team snatched victory from the jaws of defeat Monday afternoon on the road against 52nd District rival Harlan.
Trailing 3-2 and down to their last strike, the Lady Cats got a clutch two-run double from senior Addison Madison and went on the escape with a 5-3 victory. The Lady Cats trailed 5-0 going into the seventh inning.
After her team staked her to the lead, junior Adyson Scott faced just four batters in the bottom of the seventh to nail down the victory. The Lady Cats improved to 11-5 overall and 2-2 in district play.
“We stepped up late, showed patience at the plate and we strung some hits together at the right time,” Bell County coach Kristan Saylor said about the five-run seventh inning. “Adyson pitched a great game and it was a good comeback district win for us.”
Harlan eighth-grader Adelyn Lewis’ one-out single in the fourth inning scored freshman teammate Taylor Glenn with the game’s first run. The Lady Dragons added two runs in the sixth frame on back-to-back RBI-doubles by freshmen Jordyn Shackleford and Addyson Patton to take a 3-0 lead.
After yielding just two hits through the first six innings, Lewis was touched for four hits during the pivotal final frame, beginning with a leadoff single off the bat of senior Raeghan Moyers. Two batters later, freshman Amillya Smith’s double scored Moyers with the Lady Cats’ first run.
Smith advanced to third base, before Lewis walked sophomore Madelyn Fuson to put runners at the corners. Lewis struck out Scott for the second out of the inning, but then walked Tristan Saylor to load the bases, setting the stage for Maiden’s eventual game-winning hit. Sophomore Jayda Boateng’s double scored Maiden with an insurance run.
Scott recorded her 11th win of the season inside the circle. She surrendered seven hits, did not walk a batter and fanned six Lady Dragons.
Smith (double) led Bell County at the plate with two hits, while Scott, Maiden, Boateng and Moyers also collected safeties for the Lady Cats.
Shackleford had two hits for Harlan, with teammates Glenn, Lewis, Christina Saylor, Patton and Harmonee Mills also recording a hit for the Lady Dragons.
Lewis walked five batters, struck out eight others and was tagged with the loss.
Next up for Bell County is a 52nd District home game Tuesday against Harlan County. Harlan (2-13) hosts North Laurel on Tuesday.
—
Bell County 0000005 – 5.6.1
Harlan 0001020 – 3.7.0
Scott and Perdue; Lewis and Patton. WP – Scott (11-5). LP – Lewis (2-10).
