In Monday’s season-opening loss to Pineville, errors were the biggest problem for the Lady Bears with 12.
In Tuesday’s 16-4 loss to visiting Knox Central on Tuesday, walks proved to be the Lady Bears’ downfall. Harlan County pitchers walked 10 for the game, including six in the first inning as the Lady Panthers raced to a 10-0 lead.
Six of the first seven Lady Panthers reached base on walks. Mara Wilson and Abi Beller had RBI singles and Morgan Bright added a two-run single as Knox took control early.
The Harlan County offense came alive with two runs in the fourth and fifth innings as Lesleigh Brown and Halanah Shepherd drove in runs with hits in the fourth inning and Abbi Fields brought home two in the fifth with a double.
Brown led HCHS with two singles. Shepherd and Fields each contributed a double. Jenna Wilson, Madison Blair and Brittleigh Estep added one single each.
Making her high school pitching debut, Shepherd gave up four runs in the first inning. Blair pitched six innings with four strikeouts.
Harlan County plays host to Thomas Walker, Va., on Thursday and travels to Lee, Va., on Friday.
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Knox Central (10)10 005 — 16 10. 1
Harlan County 000 220 — 4. 7. 7
Beller and Bright; Shepherd, Blair (1) and Burton. WP — Beller. LP — Shepherd (0-1).