Despite being outhit 12-5 on Thursday, the Trigg County softball team squeezed out six runs and held off 5th-District rivals Lyon County for a one-run victory that put the brakes on a three-game slide.
The teams split the season series and will do it all again in the first round of the district tournament. The 2nd-seeded Lady Wildcats improved their district mark to 3-2, while the 3rd-seeded Lady Lyons finished their district slate at 3-3.
Trigg pushed a run across in the bottom of the 1st, but the Lady Lyons answered with two in the top of the 2nd, including an RBI double by Cayelyn Downing.
In their next at-bat, the Lady Wildcats put runners on first and second on an error and a hit by pitch ahead of an RBI single by Veyda Grinols to tie the game. Rylee Hendricks followed with a two-run triple on a line drive to right, giving Trigg a 4-2 advantage.
With the Lady Wildcats up 6-2 after a pair of runs in the 4th, Trigg starting pitcher Tember Oliver gave way to Avery Wade after a leadoff single by Lauren Davis in the 5th. Courtney Collins followed with a double to set the table for a two-run single by Lilly Perry that cut the margin in half.
The Lady Lyons attempted a two-out rally with a pair of singles in the 6th before a fly-out ended the threat. However, after putting runners at the corners with two more base hits with two down in their final at-bat, Olivia Moore singled in a run, and Lyon County was poised to tie or take the lead with runners at first and second.
Oliver returned to the circle to nail down the win, striking out Lyon’s Emma Brasher on a 2-2 pitch to end an eight-game skid in the series.
Oliver gave up three runs, one earned, on five hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout. Wade allowed two earned runs on seven hits over two and a third innings.
Hendricks finished with two hits and two RBI for Trigg. Grinols drove in two runs, Madilynn Smith was two for four at the plate, and Oliver and Kady Fuller each had an RBI.
Collins took the loss for Lyon County, allowing five earned runs on five hits with five walks and four strikeouts over six frames.
Downing, Davis, Jenna Coursey, and Brenna Breitrick each had two hits for the Lady Lyons, and Perry and Moore both drove in a pair of runs.
Trigg County improved to 12-12 ahead of a Monday visit from Todd County Central.
Lyon County will have a busy weekend if the weather cooperates, with four games scheduled in the Owensboro Catholic Classic.
