With a month left before the softball postseason begins, coaches continue to learn about their teams as they try to map out a course for success.
After Lyon County’s 12-11 win over Christian County on Tuesday, both Jason Collins and Sheri Hancock got a masterclass on their respective teams and their resilience.
Christian County scored six times in the seventh inning to tie the game, but Lyon County pushed across a run in the eighth inning to grab the home win and snap a six-game losing streak to the Lady Colonels.
For Hancock, it was a chance to see her Lady Colonels rally from an 8-2 deficit to tie the contest. Alyssa Petterson tripled in a run in the fifth inning, and Avery Adcock led off the sixth inning with her fifth home run of the season to get Christian County to within 8-5.
Olivia Moore doubled home a pair of runs to extend Lyon’s lead to 10-5 in the sixth inning, and Brenna Breitrick added an RBI groundout for a seemingly safe 11-5 lead heading into the top of the seventh.
Alexis Epps and Talyn Ezell singled to lead off the inning, and Jayda Turner drew a walk. Collins opted to intentionally walk Adcock with the bases loaded rather than risk a big hit from the Lady Colonel senior. But the gamble didn’t pay off as Chloe Almy cleared the bases with a double. Jazzy Tejada followed with a moon shot home run to left centerfield to tie the game.
After seeing his team lose a big lead, Collins watched his team recover from losing the big lead with a clutch eighth inning. With the tie-breaker rule in effect, Christian County bunted the runner to third base with two outs. Collins again opted to issue an intentional walk to Adcock and to Almy to load the bases. Lyon pitcher Ava Prow induced a groundout to end the inning.
Akridge began the bottom of the seventh inning at second base as the tie-breaker runner. Courtney Collins singled her to third, and Jenna Coursey was walked intentionally for the second time. Lilly Perry followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to plate the winning run.
It put the wraps on a big night for Coursey, who finished 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and five RBI. She smacked a two-run shot in the first inning to stake Lyon County to a 2-0 lead. Prow and Sloan Cotham both had RBI doubles as part of the five-run first inning.
Coursey added a three-run shot over the right centerfield fence in the fourth to extend the lead to 8-2.
Collins had three hits and three runs scored, and Cotham and Prow each had a pair of hits. Prow (2-1) went the distance in the circle for the Lady Lyons.
Every Lady Colonel had at least one hit with Adcock, Almy, Tejada, Ezell, Epps, and Katie Smith each tallying a pair. Almy drove in three runs, and Adcock and Tejada each had two RBI.
Jordan Turner, who is seeing her recovery from an arm injury progress, went six innings for the Lady Colonels in relief. She scattered seven hits and struck out two.
Both coaches saw their middle school starters come up with big plays and their veteran players make big plays when it mattered.
The teams are scheduled to meet again on May 1 in Hopkinsville.
On Thursday, Christian County (10-8) will host Crittenden County, while Lyon County (6-8) will play at Marshall County.
