GREENFIELD — The McClain Lady Tigers varsity Softball team hosted it’s Frontier Athletic Conference and cross county rivals the Hillsboro Lady Indians at Mitchell’s Park and used 18 hits to power past the Lady Indians in a 14-4 league win.
Beckley Smith led the Lady Tigers offensively and finished the game a single short of the cycle against the Hillsboro ladies. Smith drove in Josie Crabtree with an RBI triple in the first inning, knocked a two run home run in the bottom of the third inning and doubled in the bottom of the fifth inning to plate Crabtree for the third time in the game.
Crabtree got the start and the win for the Lady Tigers in the circle with six strong innings on Wednesday as she allowed only four runs, struck out seven and hit one batter.
“Josie pitched her guts out again today. She went five yesterday and turned right around and threw it right back at them,”said Lady Tiger’s Head Coach Ed Bolender. “She went four for five with three doubles. For a sophomore, first year varsity, she is really playing well. She is probably leading us in avaerage right now. She is doing well both at the plate and on the mound for us, she has been a big key all year.”
Hillsboro recorded one run in the third and fourth innings and two in the fifth inning to account for their final total.
The first run for the Lady Indians in the third inning was scored by junior Zoe Grove who scored on a fielder’s choice by Abbie Pettyjohn.
Kenzie Dietrick scored in the top of the fourth inning when Kelcie Thornburgh grounded out to short stop to drive in Dietrick.
Emma Birkhimer and Mallory Parsons both scored in the top of the fifth on a single by Dietrick that brought the score to 8-4.
Gracey Dearmon started in the circle for the Lady Indians and took the loss as she allowed 14 runs on 18 hits and struck out five batters.
Crabtree led off the bottom of the first inning with a double and scored two batters later when Smith tripled to give the Lady Tigers a 1-0 lead.
Crabtree, Allie Beatty, Smith, Kaylee Stevenson and Liz Kegley all scored in the bottom of the third inning to break a 1-1 tie and out the Lady Tigers up 6-1.
Smith was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fourth and scored two batters later when Weller reached on an error by the right fielder to bring the score to 7-2.
Crabtree, A. Beatty, Smith and Stevenson all scored in the bottom of the fifth inning to make the score 11-4 as the teams prepared for the top of the sixth inning.
The Lady Tigers held in the top of the sixth inning and Brooke Beatty, Kyla Burchett and Crabtree all scored in the bottom of the sixth to secure the 10 run 14-4 win for McClain.
Ryan Applegate is the Sports Editor for The Times-Gazette. Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.
