Tharptown’s Shelby Palmer pitches against Red Bay. Photo by Keith Ledbetter.

By Keith Ledbetter

For the FCT

The Tharptown Lady Wildcats’ softball team picked up a 14-1 win over Red Bay last Thursday.

Tharptown scored their first run in the top of the first on a pass ball but extended their lead by seven runs in the top of the second.

Shelby Palmer added an RBI, and Haley Malone put the Lady Wildcats up 7-0 on a two-RBI triple.

Red Bay’s Jordyn McKinney hit a double to place runners on second and third, but Red Bay failed to score in the bottom of the inning, stranding two runners on base.

Tharptown’s Autumn Sutter added an RBI in the top of the third, followed by RBIs by Kaitlyn Vandiver, Shelby Palmer, and Haley Malone.

Going into the bottom of the third, Tharptown looked as if they were going for a shutout with a 14-0 lead, but Red Bay’s Morgan Pierce ended those hopes with a home run over the center field fence to score the Lady Tigers’ only run of the day.

Tharptown will compete in the Franklin County Tournament starting on April 11 and will travel to play Vina on April 14.

Red Bay will host Phil Campbell on April 14 and will travel to Vina on April 15.