Down 4-1 to undefeated Logan County with the back end of their order due up in the bottom of the seventh, the Trigg County Lady Wildcats looked all but done on Thursday. However, after a three-run rally to force extra innings, Trigg’s Kiley Slone provided a walk-off single to give the Lady Wildcats an exhilarating 5-4 victory over the Lady Cougars.
The teams combined for only three baserunners over the first two and a half innings before the Lady Wildcats nudged in front when Livia Breckel came home on a wild pitch. However, with the help of an error and a pair of walks, the Lady Cougars answered with a run in the top of the fourth to tie the game.
After two singles in the fifth, Nora Epley delivered a two-out RBI single that scored two with the help of a Trigg error. Another Lady Wildcat error allowed the Lady Cougars to make it 4-1 in the top of the seventh, and it looked like Addison Cartas had more than enough run support to finish off a complete-game win in the circle.
But the Lady Wildcats had other ideas, beginning with a leadoff double by Brynlee Smock. Slone followed with a single to put runners on second and third, and Breckel’s shot to the centerfield wall brought home a run to cut the margin to two.
Another run came in on a Logan County error, and after an intentional walk to Rylee Hendricks, Tember Oliver’s fly ball to right was dropped to bring home Breckel and knot the game at 4-4.
With a runner starting on second to begin the top of the eighth, the Lady Wildcats elected to issue a pair of intentional walks and load the bases with no outs. Oliver coaxed fly balls for the first two outs before a ground out to second ended the inning with the bases juiced.
Emma Lee Futrell laid down a perfect bunt to open the Trigg half of the eighth and move the runner to third, setting up Slone’s heroics. After two balls, Slone fouled off the third pitch before smacking the next offering back up the middle to set off the Lady Wildcats’ celebration.
Oliver went the distance in the circle to earn the win, allowing four runs, only one earned, on four hits with seven walks and seven strikeouts. Breckel, Rylee Hendricks, and Slone each finished with two hits, and MaKenna Hendricks added an RBI.
Cartas took the loss for Logan County, surrendering four runs, three earned, on seven hits with a walk and 11 strikeouts. Madelyn Burgess was the lone Lady Cougar with two hits, and Sydni Blick joined Epley with an RBI.
The Lady Wildcats evened their record at 3-3 with their third win in the last four games. They’ll be back on their home field on Friday for a visit from Hopkins County Central.
