With two of Caldwell County’s best pitchers ever watching, Lady Tiger eighth grader Alexis Wood tossed a gem of her own.
Abby Scott Hodge and Jennifer Jackson Gibson were among the 1998 state runner-up Lady Tigers honored prior to Saturday’s home game against Ballard Memorial.
They watched as Wood threw a three-hit shutout to lead Caldwell past Ballard Memorial 2-0 at Lady Tiger Field in Princeton.
The Lady Bombers (11-2) brought a nine-game winning streak into the contest — including an 8-0 victory over Mayfield in the 1st Region All A Classic championship on Wednesday.
Wood did not walk a batter and had just one strikeout. But she gave Ballard very few opportunities offensively.
Meanwhile, the Lady Tigers (8-7) scratched out single runs in the first and fifth innings in a swiftly-played contest.
A.J. Hollowell reached on a bunt single to start the Caldwell first. She stole second, then moved to third on a fly ball to left by Adley Lewis. Alicia Stanley followed with a single up the middle to put the first run of the game on the scoreboard.
In the fifth, Kenzie McConnell tripled just inside the right-field line with one out. Pinch runner Daelen Kizzee came in to score on a bunt by Grace Watson to make it a 2-0 game.
Ballard had one final chance in the top of the seventh when a pair of errors put two runners on base with one out. But a fly ball to right and a grounder to short wrapped up the Lady Tigers’ win.
Mady Bohde struck out 12 for Ballard and allowed just five base hits but suffered the pitching loss.
A.J. Hollowell was 2-for-2 for Caldwell — the only player in the game with multiple hits.
Caldwell is now 5-1 all-time against the Lady Bombers.
The Lady Tigers will play again on Monday at Webster County.
