It took 21 hits, a rally from 10 runs down and five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Caldwell County’s girls picked up a 16-15 win over Livingston Central in a wild game Friday in Princeton.
Livingston (2-3) seemed to have a handle on things early, building an 11-1 lead behind a six-run second inning.
Caldwell (4-2) countered with a six-spot of its own in the home half of the third to get within 11-7, but the Lady Cardinals responded with four runs in the fourth to still lead 15-7.
However, Lady Tiger pitcher Illysa Stallins blanked Livingston over the final three innings.That helped give Caldwell a chance to get back in it.
A four-run fifth trimmed the margin to 15-11, but the Lady Tigers went to their final at-bat still trailing by four.
Alicia Stanley started the seventh inning with a bang, homering on a line drive to left to give Caldwell some momentum.
Another run came in on a groundout by Stallins to make it 15-13, but that was the second out of the inning.
Caldwell caught a break when a grounder off the bat of Laney Jones was misplayed, putting runners at the corners and extending the game.
A.J. Hollowell then ripped a sinking liner into left that got down and rolled all the way to the fence.
That allowed both runners to score and knot the game at 15-15. It also left Hollowell standing at second base with the potential winning run.
It didn’t take long for that to happen. Brylee Butts singled back up the middle on the first pitch she saw, and Hollowell came in to end the game and set off a celebration on the Caldwell side of the field.
Butts finished 4-for-5 at the plate with a double and a two RBIs. Rylee Thompson was also 4-for-5 with a triple and an RBI.
Hollowell, Stanley and Harper Holeman each homered in the contest and had three hits and three runs batted in.
For Livingston, Emersyn Ramage was 3-for-5 and knocked in four runs. Hadley Hargrove and Victoria Joiner were each 3-for-4 with three runs and an RBI.
The teams combined for 31 runs and 36 base hits.
The squads will square off again April 11 in Smithland in a first round game in the 2nd Region All A Classic.
Caldwell, which has won three straight, hosts another 5th District school on Monday when Crittenden County visits Lady Tiger Field.
Livingston will play three games at home Saturday in the Stan Head Classic, facing Carlisle County, Webster County and Murphysboro, Ill.
