YSE File Photo
The Hopkinsville High School softball team secured a first-inning lead for the third time in as many games by striking for five runs Thursday at Fort Campbell. And this time, the Tigers made it hold up, winning 19-7 in five innings to pick up their first victory of the season.
Hoptown’s top of the order was electric in the win, as the one through four hitters — Jakayla Grubbs (3-for-5, four runs), Daijha Owen Morand (3-for-4, three RBI), Taylor Joachim (4-for-4, five RBI) and Shaniyah Straight (2-for-4, three runs) accounted for the bulk of the Tigers’ offense.
Ester Pepple’s two-run single and Elizabeth Smith’s RBI groundout gave Hopkinsville a 5-1 lead after one inning, and Bailee Ladson’s RBI single in the second had HHS in firm control with an 8-1 advantage. They would need every bit of it, though, as Fort Campbell countered in a big way in the bottom of the second inning.
After Anika Weisbrich walked, and Avaley Moore and Hailey Herron singled, FCHS senior Alexsa Hoffman recorded a rare play by completing an inside-the-park grand slam home run. The bases-clearing sequence suddenly pulled the Falcons with 8-5 of Hoptown and gave Fort Campbell its largest offensive play of the young season.
The host Falcons eventually put two more runners on after the granny, but Straight got Carrie McCrary to pop into an RBI double play that ended the inning and the threat. FCHS would get no closer the rest of the way after Hoptown answered with three more runs in the third to reclaim control. The Tigers never scored less than two runs in any of the five innings.
Hopkinsville put a bow on the win during a sixth-run fifth inning, capped by consecutive and respective RBI singles, two-run doubles and RBI singles from Grubbs, Morand and Joachim to make it 17-6. Abigail Straight rounded out the scoring with a two-out, two-run single.
Shaniyah Straight (1-2) went the distance for the third game in a row, striking out three and walking four. Outside of Hoffman’s four-RBI hit, the rest of the Falcons combined for just three hits — all singles. Carrie McCrary (0-1) had four strikeouts but took the loss after allowing 18 hits and 12 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings.
The Tigers (1-2) will have a few days before hosting Todd County Central (1-0) at 5:30 p.m. on March 30. Fort Campbell (0-3) hosts Clarksville (TN) Northeast on Friday.
