MIDDLESBORO — If the Harlan County Lady Bears needed any motivation to prepare for their opening round game in the 52nd District Tournament, the Harlan Lady Dragons provided plenty with an 8-5 upset win at Harlan County earlier this month.

The Lady Bears were ready for the rematch as junior Alexis Adams pitched a two-hitter while the Lady Bears collected a pair of homers on the way to a 12-0 five-inning win on Monday at Middlesboro.

“(Harlan pitcher) Adelynn (Lewis) is capable of throwing a no-hitter any game, so you have to be ready to play,” Harlan County coach Shelby Burton said. “I felt we had a really good approach at the plate. We were swinging at good pitches and hitting line drives. We stayed back on pitches and didn’t chase anything. I was very proud of the girls.”

“They were more ready to play, and we were less ready to play,” Harlan coach Scott Lewis said. “We just unraveled. One mistake leads to another. We hope to get over that as we gain some experience.”

Adams struck out nine and walked only one while giving up singles to Taylor Glenn and Addison Campbell in the complete-game effort.

Freshman first baseman Bella Miniard led the Lady Bears’ offensive attack with six RBI on a triple and two singles. Jordyn Smith added her fourth homer of the season along with a single. Seventh grader Cayleann Yount, who had the game-winning hit last week against Pineville, hit her first varsity homer. Aly Sherman added a single and two walks.

Lewis pitched a complete game for the Lady Dragons, giving up 12 runs on seven hits with five strikeouts, four walks and three hit batsmen.

Harlan County loaded the bases in the first inning on a single by Smith followed by a walk to Sherman and Jaylin Robinson reaching when she was hit by a pitch. Raegan Landa drove in a run with a fielder’s choice grounder to short. Miniard’s RBI single pushed the lead to 2-0.

Sherman opened the third inning with a single before Adams walked and Robinson and Landa were each hit by pitches to force in a run. Miniard cleared the bases with her three-run triple to right. The Lady Bears added another run on an errant throw home on a grounder hit by Kendall Brock.

The Lady Bears homered twice in the fourth inning, beginning with Smith’s solo shot. Miniard singled home two runs before Yount closed the scoring with her two-run homer to left. 

With a lineup featuring six freshmen and an eighth grader, the Lady Dragons improved through the course of the season and finished 4-17.

“They have put a lot of work in this year, and we just want to add on to it next year and keep chipping away,” Lewis said. 

Harlan County (17-13) will seek its first district championship since 2019 on Tuesday at 6 as the Lady Bears take on Middlesboro.

———

Harlan 000 00 —   0. 2. 4

Harlan County 205 5x — 12. 7. 1

Lewis and Patton; Adams and Robinson. WP — Adams (13-10). LP — Lewis (4-14). HR — Smith (4,) Yount (1).