Christian County’s Gracie Harned and Jordan Turner combined to hold visiting Calloway County to a single run on two hits on Monday, but the Lady Lakers’ Hailee Jones was up to the challenge in the circle, limiting the Lady Col0nels to a lone run to force extra innings.
Christian County won its second in a row to improve to 6-1 ahead of a trip to Caldwell County on Thursday. The Lady Colonels will be looking to avenge an eight-inning 11-10 loss to the Lady Tigers in last season’s 2nd Region tournament.
With two outs in the top of the third, the Lady Lakers broke through on Gabriella Yocum’s RBI single, the last Calloway County hit of the game.
The Lady Colonels answered in the bottom of the frame, with Avery Adcock’s two-out single followed by Harned’s RBI single to tie the game.
Harned started in the circle and worked the first two and two-thirds innings, scattering a pair of hits, walking four, and striking out six before giving way to Jordan Turner. Turner dominated on the way to the win, striking out ten and issuing a pair of walks over five and a third scoreless innings.
With a runner starting on second base to start the top of the eighth, a Lady Laker bunt pushed the go-ahead run to third. A ground ball to short followed, but Adcock fired home to cut down the runner and a strikeout ended the inning.
Needing a single run to win in the bottom of the frame, Jada Miller bunted to move the runner over from second. Calloway County tried to get the lead runner, but the throw was too late and Christian County had runners on second and third with no outs.
The Lady Lakers wanted no part of Adcock, issuing an intentional walk to load the bases. Harned only needed one pitch to make Calloway regret that decision, singling to left field to drive in the winning run.
Hailee Jones was the hard-luck loser in the circle for Calloway, allowing two earned runs on five hits with a pair of walks and 14 strikeouts. The Lady Lakers lost for the third time in four outings to slip to 4-6 with a trip to Caldwell County coming up on Thursday.
Harned finished 3/4 at the plate with two RBI, and Adcock hit safely twice.
