The University Heights Academy softball team picked up its second 8th-District win of the season on Thursday at Fort Campbell, putting the host Lady Falcons away 22-7 in five innings behind 5 RBI from Jaila Batey.
The win is the second in three tries for the Lady Blazers and leaves them a victory short of .500 at 5-6 overall. After winning five of six, Fort Campbell drops its second-straight to slip to 5-12.
Trinity Luke and Amaryia Bass had RBI singles in a 5-run first for the Lady Blazers, before the Lady Falcons got one back on a run-scoring single by Kalli Bannister in the bottom of the inning.
Batey’s 2-run triple highlighted UHA’s second at-bat and they led 10-1 with two innings played. Luke doubled in another run and the Lady Blazers stretched the advantage to 11 runs in the top of the 3rd.
The Lady Falcons answered with 4 runs in the bottom of the frame, with Samantha Forristal and Hope Balzeski contributing RBI singles and Kiley McCrary bringing in a run with a double.
UHA added 5 more runs in the 4th on a 2-run double by Batey and a single by Luke to drive in her third run of the game. The Lady Blazers’ last 5 came without the benefit of a base hit in the top of the 5th. Four walks and four hit by pitches did the damage, and the lead was 22-5 with Fort Campbell down to its last at-bat.
Regan Pollard went the distance in the circle to earn the win, allowing the last of 7 runs, 6 earned, in the bottom of the 5th. Pollard surrendered 5 hits, walked 5, and struck out 10.
Batey and Luke combined for 8 RBI, with Bri Daniels, Bass, and Mia Litchfield each driving in a run. Mallory Ladd and Batey each had a pair of hits and Luke finished 3/3 at the plate.
Kiley McCrary took the loss, going two innings and allowing 10 runs, 7 earned, on 5 hits with 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. Carrie McCrary pitched the 3rd, yielding 6 earned runs on 2 hits with 6 walks. Alexsa Hoffman worked the final two frames, allowing 6 runs, 5 earned, on 2 hits with 4 walks and a strikeout.
Five Lady Falcons had a hit each, with Kiley McCrary driving in 2 runs. Bannister, Forristal, Balzeski, and Oliva Conner each had an RBI.
