The Harlan County offense was silenced by Pineville seventh-grader Rachel Howard on Thursday as the Lady Lions scored three runs in the fourth inning on the way to a 3-0 victory.
Howard struck out 16 and limited HCHS to a pair of hits in the fourth inning. Brandy Adams and Allee Galloway opened the inning with singles but were left stranded when the Lady Bears were unable to execute on a bunt.
Virginia Hall opened the fourth inning for Pineville with a walk. Addison Slone then singled before Makenna Partin doubled in two runs. Rachel Howard reached on an error to plate the final run.
Jaslyn Rutheford had two hits for the Lady Lions. Partin, Howard and Slone added one hit each.
Kerrigan Creech suffered the loss as she struck out 14 and walked one while giving up five hits.
Harlan County (7-4) will play in the Tim Short Classic at Perry Central this weekend. Pineville (4-9) travels to Berea on Friday.
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Middlesboro swept a doubleheader from visiting Harlan on Friday, winning 16-0 in three innings and 22-7 in four innings, to clinch at least a tie for the district’s top seed.
The 0-9 Lady Dragons travel to Barbourville on Monday.
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Pineville 000 300 0 — 3. 5. 1
Harlan County 000 000 0 — 0. 2. 2
Howard and Slone; Creech and Adams. WP — Howard. LP — Creech (7-4).