Hunt softball drops C.B. Aycock

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on March 10, 2011 1:47 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- One night after claiming an emotional road conference victory, Charles B. Aycock missed a golden chance to sweep border rival Wilson Hunt on the softball diamond Wednesday evening.

The Warriors turned a heads-up defensive play to escape what could have been a disastrous ending and knocked off the Golden Falcons, 5-4, in eight innings.

Aycock (3-2 overall) suffered its second defeat in its last three outings.

"We came out flat," said Golden Falcons coach Brad Matthews, whose team hammered reigning Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference champ Triton on Tuesday.

"We sat there and talked about it in the dugout. You have to come out and want to play every single night. That's one thing I've got to get them doing a whole lot better than what we're doing (now)."

The Golden Falcons seized a 2-0, first-inning lead on Ivy Hartzell's RBI single and an infield error by the Warriors. Hunt right-hander Morgan Farmer retired nine of the next 10 batters she faced, and helped her cause with a three-run, third-inning home run.

The Warriors (2-1) increased their advantage to 4-2 in the fifth inning against Golden Falcon right-hander Ashley Shingleton, who has signed with Methodist University. Amber Parrish doubled to lead off the inning and Lauren Brinson traded places with a run-scoring double of her own.

Brooke Bell relieved Shingleton in the pitcher's circle and kept Hunt off the scoreboard until the decisive eighth inning.

Aycock tied the game in the fifth.

Bell singled and Cierra Harris reached on a fielder's choice to put runners at first and second with one out. After a flyout, Meredith Burroughs (1-for-3, 2 RBI) drove home Bell with a double to left center field.

The Warriors misplayed the relay throw and Harris scampered home for the game-tying run.

Hunt stranded two runners in scoring position in the sixth and Bell struck out the side in the seventh. In the eighth, Courtney Davis reached on an infield error and eventually tallied the game-winning run on a wild pitch.

The Golden Falcons loaded the bases with one out in their final at-bat. Burroughs walked, Rachel Jordan singled and Ivy Hartzell followed with a single.

The Warriors' Parrish gunned down Jordan at second base and Morgan coaxed a game-ending groundout from Reagan Herndon to preserve the win.

"We told them over and over in the dugout that their catcher has a great arm and I knew that she'll throw behind you," said Matthews. "We fell asleep, she threw behind us and got us out. The thing about it, when they get two outs, then the infield is back.

"That ball Reagan hits, with the infield (drawn) in, that ball is through (the defense)."