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I'M READY — Ella Horne (3) takes her stance in the batter's box during the Lady Trojans' game against Wolfe City Tuesday. Horne batted 2/4 and recorded an RBI in the Lady Trojans' 7-6 victory. Photo by DJ Spencer
Pence goes 3/3 from plate
CUMBY — The Cumby Lady Trojans improved to 4-0 in district play Tuesday with a 7-6 victory over the Wolfe City Lady Wolves. Though the Lady Wolves mounted a furious comeback attempt late, Neely Hammond picked up a clutch save in the seventh inning, preserving a victory for the Lady Trojans.
The first inning saw the Lady Trojans step up to the plate first, where they faced Harly Pence in the circle. After a single began the game, a pair of ground outs followed.
An RBI single on the next at-bat gave the Lady Wolves a 1-0 lead. Another ground out ended the Lady Wolves’ turn.
The bottom of the second inning began with Ashlyn Hudson being hit by a pitch. After Kinslee Dowdle was tagged out on a dropped third strike and Hammond lined out, Pence launched a two-run home run, giving the Lady Trojans a 2-1 lead. Though Ella Horne kept the inning going with a single, the inning ended when Erin Morgan was tagged out on a dropped third strike.
The second inning started with a strikeout. Though the Lady Wolves gained a base runner with a single, a fly out and strikeout would end their turn.
The Lady Trojans gained two base runners right away when Kadee Pettit was hit by a pitch and Jenna Elmore hit a single. After Bella Faulknor struck out, Hudson would hit an RBI double, bringing Pettit home and raising the score to 3-1.
On the next at-bat, Dowdle would hit a sacrifice RBI, bringing Elmore home and making the score 4-1. The second inning ended when Hammond grounded out.
The third inning started off with a walk. After that, two ground outs and a fly out would end the Lady Wolves’ turn.
The bottom of the third inning started with Pence being walked and Horne hitting a single. After Morgan hit a pop fly ball for an out, the bases loaded when Pettit walked. This was followed by Elmore being hit by a pitch, bringing Julia Hernandez, who was pinch running for Pence, home and raising the score to 5-1.
The Lady Trojans’ turn ended when Faulknor and Myles Hall struck out, ending the third inning.
The fourth inning started with a strikeout and a fly out. After the Lady Wolves gained a base runner after a hit by pitch, a ground out brought their turn to an end.
The Lay Trojans began their turn with Dowdle being walked. This was followed by Hammond hitting an RBI single, driving Dowdle home and raising the score to 6-1.
Pence would hit a double on the next at-bat. This was followed by Horne hitting a sacrifice RBI, driving Hammond home and making the score 7-1.
After Morgan was hit by a pitch, Pettit struck out. Though the inning continued when Elmore was hit by a pitch, their turn ended when Jenna Bearden struck out, ending the fourth inning.
The fifth inning began with a walk. After a ground out, an RBI single would cut the score to 7-2. This was followed by an RBI triple, trimming the score to 7-3.
A sacrifice RBI followed, as the Lady Wolves now made the score 7-4. After a walk, a line out brought their turn to an end.
The bottom of the fifth inning began with Hudson striking out and Dowdle grounding out. Though Hammond was hit by a pitch on the next at-bat and Pence would hit a single, Pence would be tagged out advancing to second base, ending the fifth inning.
The sixth inning began with a strikeout. This was followed by the bases loading on a pair of walks and a hit by pitch. After another strikeout, an RBI single followed, bringing the score to 7-6. A runner was tagged out a third in the same sequence, ending the Lady Wolves’ turn.
The bottom of the sixth inning began with Horne grounding out. After Morgan walked, the inning ended after Pettit hit a pop fly ball for an out and Elmore grounded out.
For the seventh inning, Hammond relieved Pence in the circle for a save opportunity. After a ground out started the inning, Hammond finished the job with consecutive strikeouts, as the Lady Trojans held on for a 7-6 win.
As a team, the Lady Trojans batted 8 for 25 (.320) from the plate. Pence was the leading hitter with three hits. Horne added two hits, while Elmore, Hammond, and Hudson added one hit each.
Dowdle, Elmore, Hammond, Hernandez, Hudson, Pence, and Pettit all scored one run each.
Pence earned the win in the circle. Across six innings, she recorded five strikeouts, and only conceded six hits, six earned runs, and five walks. Hammond earned a save in her one relief inning, recording two strikeouts.
With the win, the Lady Trojans are now 4-0 in district play and 6-1 overall. Their next game is Tuesday, March 21, when they travel to Merit to face off against the Bland Lady Tigers.