Tharptown softball sweeps Lady Red Devils

By Staff
Scot Beard
PHIL CAMPBELL – The Tharptown girls softball team was not hindered by rainouts, as it was able to generate quite a bit of offense against Vina this week.
The Lady Wildcats scored 33 runs in two games against the Lady Red Devils to improve to 3-0 in area play and 5-3 overall.
"I was proud of our hitting," said Tharptown coach Laura Sellers. "Between regular games and tournaments, we had about 13 games rained out. We've been doing hitting drills in the gym."
The Lady Wildcats had 16 hits in Tuesday's 16-0 victory at Vina.
Laken Barnett led the way with three doubles for Tharptown while Hollie Hines tripled and Jess Myrick doubled and had a sacrifice bunt.
Heather Hatton and Braeden Sellers had two singles each while Chelsea McCluskey and Lauren Scott hit one single each for the Lady Wildcats.
Myrick pitched three innings and struck out six to earn the win.
Claudia Townsend had the only hit for Vina.
The Lady Wildcats continued its offensive output Wednesday as they scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a commanding lead. Tharptown sent ten batters to the plate in the first.
Vina threatened to answer in the second as Brandi White and Amber Evans each drew a walk to open the inning. Stormi Mitchell reached on a fielder's choice, but in doing so White was called out at third.
Evans reached third base on a passed ball, but was unable to score as the next two Vina batters struck out to end the inning.
Tharptown seemed to cool off in the second, only plating one run as Hines – the only Lady Wildcat to reach base in the inning – scored on a sacrifice by Myrick.
Vina could not get a runner to reach base in the third inning, but Tharptown's bats came back to life.
The Lady Wildcats sent 12 batters to the plate. Those batters recorded five hits and put seven runs on the board to take a 14-0 lead.
With one out in the top of the fourth, White singled for Vina and advanced to second on a ground out by Evans. Mitchell struck out to end the inning before White could advance any farther.
After McCluskey grounded out to open the bottom of the fourth, Barnett singled and stole a pair of bases before Hatton drew a walk. Hines hit a ball deep to the outfield to clear the bases and end the game.
Hines led the Lady Wildcats with three doubles while Barnett hit a single and a double and Tosha George hit a pair of singles.
Braeden Sellers doubled and Hatton, Myrick, Scott and McCluskey each singled for Tharptown.
Hines picked up the win on the mound, pitching four innings and striking out four. She allowed one hit and walked three Vina batters.
White had the only hit for Vina.
Jesse Norwood took the loss, pitching 31/3 innings and striking out one Tharptown batter. She gave up 11 hits.