Huntland's Bella Smith connects on a pitch in this file photo from earlier in the season. Smith had three hits, four RBIs, a stolen base and three runs scored for the Lady Hornets Monday in their 15-5 win against Moore County High School.
Huntland's Bella Smith connects on a pitch in this file photo from earlier in the season. Smith had three hits, four RBIs, a stolen base and three runs scored for the Lady Hornets Monday in their 15-5 win against Moore County High School.
The Huntland High School Lady Hornets beat the Moore County Raiderettes 15-5 at home Monday in a first-round game for the District 9A tournament.
The third-seeded Raiderettes scored five runs in the top of the first, but the second-seeded Lady Hornets quickly flipped the scoreboard in the bottom half of the same inning and pulled away in the middle innings for a blowout victory to start the postseason.
Moore County’s first five batters of the game reached base, and all of them came around to score with a three-run home run capping off the early scoring effort.
The Lady Hornets immediately answered back with six runs in the bottom of the first as Bella Smith hit an RBI double, Blair Finchum drove in a pair of runs with a single, Camerin Davis contributed an RBI single, Lily Jackson hit into an RBI groundout and Analyn Riddle brought in a run with a sacrifice bunt to give Huntland an early 6-5 edge.
The Raiderettes led off the top of the third with two consecutive singles, but pitcher Smith retired the next three batters to keep Huntland in front.
The lead for the Lady Hornets grew further in the bottom of the fourth as RBI singles from Smith and Hadley Gardner made it an 8-5 game.
The Lady Hornets put together another six-run frame in the bottom of the fifth as a two-run single from Bailey Morris, a two-run triple from Smith, an RBI double from Gardner and an RBI single from Jocy May pushed their advantage up to 14-5 late.
The game came to a slightly early end in the bottom of the sixth as Davis drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a passed ball and scored on an RBI single from Emily Stewart to seal Huntland’s win by 10.
Smith pitched a complete game for the Lady Hornets with four strikeouts, nine hits, two walks and five runs allowed in the victory.
With the win, the Lady Hornets improved to 10-6 on the season.
They will next play Tuesday at home against Eagleville High School in a semifinal game for the District 9A tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
