By Staff
PC improves to 13-1; Bobcats beat Belgreen 15-0
Kim West
BELGREEN – The Phil Campbell junior softball team entered the county tournament on a month-long winning streak, and the Lady Bobcats' good fortune continued Friday afternoon against host Belgreen.
Phil Campbell ace Lindsey Jackson threw a one-hitter and the Lady Bobcats scored six runs in the first inning to defeat Belgreen 15-0. Phil Campbell (13-1), which hasn't lost since a Feb. 28 opening day splitt with Haleyville, advanced to face East Franklin Saturday in the winner's bracket.
"We're hitting the ball well and Lindsey's doing a good job pitching," Phil Campbell coach Greg Winstead said. "We still have some things we need to work on but we're playing solid defense right now."
Jackson (12-1) pitched three innings, didn't allow a walk and struck out three of the 10 batters she faced. Jessie Halcomb worked a scoreless fourth inning to earn the save, while Bridget Thompson took the loss for Belgreen (2-7).
Whitley Yocum, who went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two triples, led off the first inning with a stand-up triple and came around to score on a passed ball. Jackson hit a two-run triple to bring home Amber Chaney and Halcomb, and courtesy runner Brooke Hallman beat the throw to home to put the Lady Bobcats ahead 3-0. Sarah Hillard hit an RBI grounder to score Taylor Scott and Sarah Hester drove in Karina Jimenez to give Phil Campbell a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Phil Campbell went ahead 8-0 in the second as Taylor Scott hit a triple to score Chaney and Kaysie Pounders hit an RBI single to right field to bring around Scott.
The Lady Bobcats struck again in the third as Yocum, Halcomb and Scott each scored off hits from Hallman and Andrea Ricketts to lead 11-0.
Belgreen put four runners on base in the top of the fourth but the Lady Bulldogs couldn't push across a run despite singles from Jaydn Caskey and Erica Smith.
Phil Campbell added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth as Jimenez, Sarah Hester and Yocum scored.
Alyson Oliver, Smith, who also pitched an inning of relief, and Caskey each finished with a hit for Belgreen. improves to 13-1; Bobcats beat Belgreen 15-0