One game into her first season as coach of the Harlan County Lady Bears, Shelby Burton didn’t have a hard time identifying her team’s biggest weakness.
Harlan County gave up multiple unearned runs with a 12-error performance Monday in a 13-2 season-opening loss to visiting Pineville.
“We knew coming into this season that errors would be our biggest battle. We start every game with possibly two to four girls that have seen a live ball in a varsity game. This is definitely not an excuse, but we know this is something we have to control as the season progresses to get where we want in the end,” Burton said. :I liked what I seen as far as our aggressiveness at the plate with our girls. We battled against a top three pitcher in the state the entire night and we hit the ball fairly well.”
Eighth-grader pitcher Rachel Howard, who also won at HCHS last year, struck out 15 while scattering nine hits to earn the win. McKenzie Widener led the Pineville offense with a three-run home in the third inning. The Lady Lions added five runs in the fifth and seventh innings.
Rylie Maggard led the HCHS offense with a triple and double. Jenna Wilson, Maddie Blair and Halanah Shepherd had two singles each. Honesty Thomas added one single. Thomas and Wilson each scored a run for the Lady Bears.
Harlan County returns to action Tuesday at home against Knox Central.
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Pineville 003 050 5 — 13. 8. 2
Harlan County 100 010 0 — 2. 9. 12
Howard and Sloan; Blair and Burton. WP — Howard. LP — Blair (0-1). HR — Widener.