SPRINGFIELD - Macks Creek ran their small winning streak to three games with a 16-2, six-inning win over the Central Lady Bulldogs on Thursday night.
Macks Creek plated their first run in the top of the first. With one out Jesse Willis reached on an error, moved to second on a single by Bobbie Hilton, and came around to score on Caytlin Eidson's single to center. A pair of ground balls to short ended the inning.
Central took their only lead of the night with two runs in the bottom of the first. Rileigh Hutchens when her ball to right was dropped. Sarah Cummings followed with a ground ball through the third baseman's legs and a hit-by-pitch of Hannah Woodruff loaded the bases. A soft liner to third for the second out Holley Harrell to the plate. She singled over the head of the short stop to bring in both Hutchens and Cummings and give the Lady Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. A pop out to short ended the threat.
The Lady Pirates responded with three runs in the top of the second to take the lead for good. Kenzie Hicks singled to left with two outs and moved to second on Alyssa Seaholm's infield single to short. Kenzie would score on Jesse Willis's RBI-single to right, with Seaholm moving to third on the play. Willis advanced to second on the throw to third. Both runners would score on Bobbie Hilton's RBI-double down the right field line and push the lead to 4-2. A ground out to third would end the half inning.
In the bottom of the second inning the Lady Bulldogs threatened to score more runs. Antaneia Matthews and Katie Saiko drew back-to-back walks with one out. A ground out to second moved both runners up. Sarah Cummings was walked to load the bases, but all three would remain stranded on a strike out.
Macks Creek put runners at second and third in the third and Central had runners at first and second in their half but neither side would score. The Lady Pirates plated five more runs in the fourth when they sent 11 hitters to the plate. Alyssa Seaholm reached on an error, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch ahead of a Jesse Willis walk. Bobbie Hilton collected two more RBI's with a double over the head of the center fielder. Willis would come around from first on the hit with Seaholm coming in from third. Following a line out to third, Shaylee Skinner doubled down the left field line to bring in Hilton. Myra Cortez would walk and both she and Skinner would advance a bass on a passed ball. Bethany Schmidt walked to load the bases and Molly Phillips singled through the left side to bring in Skinner and advance the runners one base. Kenzie Hicks collected an RBI on a sacrifice fly to left, plating Cortez, before a fly out to left ended the inning.
Two more runs would cross in the fifth. Bobbie Hilton singled to right and was erased at second base on Caytlin Eidson's ground ball to second. A pop out to second created out number two. Myra Cortez walked and Bethany Schmidt singled to bring in Eidson. A steal of third by Cortez drew a throw from home. Catie Gabriel, courtesy running for Schmidt, broke for second late and drew a throw. The ball got away from the second baseman and Cortez was able to score. Gabriel would remain stranded at third.
In the sixth the Lady Pirates plated their last five runs. With one out Alyssa Seaholm singled and stole second before coming around to score on Jesse Willis's RBI-single to right. Willis would steal second and then third. On the steal of third, the ball sailed into left field and Jesse scored on the play. A pop out to second was out number two and brought Caytlin Eidson to the plate. Eidson singled to right and stole second. Shaylee Skinner hit a ball to third that was misplayed and allowed her to reach and Caytlin to move to third. A walk to Myra Cortez loaded the bases for Bethany Schmidt. Bethany hit the ball to third, and the throw went over the head of the first baseman, clearing the bases. Molly Phillips hit a ball to short, with the throw going to second base to try and get Catie Gabriel, but the ball was dropped. A fly out to center ended the inning.
Central got one runner on when Katie Saiko was hit-by-a-pitch with one out, but a fielder's choice to second off the bat of Rileigh Hutchens erased her at second. A fly out to center field ended the game.
"We did a good job of putting the ball in play tonight consistently and were able to put pressure on the defense on the base paths," said Macks Creek's Jason Trusty, "We did a good job of moving runners around and then playing defense behind Bethany."
Macks Creek banged out a season-high in hits with 15 and runs with 16 in the contest. Bobbie Hilton paced the offense with a four-for-five night at the dish, which included two singles, two doubles, a run scored, and four RBI's. Alyssa Seaholm collected two singles, reached on an error, walked, and scored three runs, Jesse Willis collected two singles, reached on an error, scored four runs, and had two RBI's, Caytlin Eidson singled twice, scored twice, and had an RBI, and Molly Phillips singled twice and had an RBI. Shaylee Skinner reached on a fielder's choice, an error, scored two runs, doubled, and had an RBI, Bethany Schmidt singled in a run, walked, and reached on an error, and Kenzie Hicks singled, scored, and collected an RBI on a sacrifice fly. Myra Cortez walked three times in the contest and scored three runs.
Holley Harrell collected the only two hits for the Lady Bulldogs. She also knocked in the only two runs as well. Rileigh Hutchens reached on an error, a fielder's choice, walked, and scored a run and Sarah Cummings reached on an error, scored, and walked twice. Katie Saiko walked and was hit-by-a-pitch, Hannah Woodruff was beaned, Cheyanne Twitchell walked and reached on a fielder's choice, and Antaneia Matthews walked and was hit-by-a-pitch.
Macks Creek improves to 10-6 with the win while Central falls to 5-10 overall. Macks Creek is scheduled to participate in the Hermitage Softball Tournament on Friday and Saturday. The Lady Pirates drew the three-seed and will face the sixth-seeded Lady Mules of Wheatland in first found aciton on Friday. Game time is slated for 6:15.
The JV Lady Pirates fell in a walk-off by the score of 8-7.
Syrena Rector started and took the loss. She was touched for eight runs in her two-plus innings of work.
Syrena and Vanessa Wallace each singled in the contest, with Rector also reached on a dropped third strike and scored two runs and Vanessa scored once. Bailey Taylor, Catie Gabriel, and Cieanna Earney all walked and scored, with Catie collecting an RBI on a ground out. Emma Waters walked twice and had an RBI, Amber Klinksick drew a bases loaded walk, Ciera Compton was hit-by-a-pitch and scored, while Callie Leach and Daysha Brooks each collected RBI's on walks.
The JV falls to 1-6-1 with the loss.
VARSITY BOX SCORE
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E |
MC | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 15 | 2 |
CHS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 |