Riverdale softball belts Rebels 16-8

MURFREESBORO – Riverdale used 15 hits to crush Franklin 16-8 Saturday in the Lady Warrior Southern Classic at McKnight Park.

The game was called due to the time limit in the bottom of the fourth with Riverdale at bat. Six consecutive Riverdale players had singled when the game ended.

“It was a good hitting performance by everyone on the team,” Riverdale coach Christy Bingham said. “They swing the bats. They came out and tried to score. They did a great job.”

The Lady Warriors (7-3) came up to bat for the first time down 4-0.

But that didn’t stop them from working the count, waiting on good pitches and connecting for base hits.

Riverdale leadoff hitter Emily Burns got things started for the Lady Warriors with a base hit and Emily Thompson singled her home for the Lady Warriors’ first run, starting the comeback.

“We knew we had to make a comeback, and we knew we were better than that,” Burns said. “We knew we could score more than four runs on them.”

Burns wound up 4 for 4 at the plate with two doubles and three RBI. Thompson was 3 for 3.

After Thompson’s single scored Burns, errors allowed two more runs to score, cutting the gap to 4-3 at the end of the first. Riverdale benefited from seven Franklin errors.

“We started off the first inning and let some runs come in, and we decided to hit,” said Bingham.

The Lady Warriors scored two in the second, four in the third and seven in the fourth before the game was called.

Brooke McClure homered in the bottom of the second inning for Riverdale.

Caroline Faulkner started in the circle for Riverdale and only allowed four hits but walked five and hit two batters.

Franklin loaded the bases with two outs and Bryanna Lamm doubled home two runs in the first to give the Lady Rebels the early lead.

After cutting the gap to 4-3 in the first, Riverdale tied it in the bottom of the second with two runs. Brooklyn Pendegrast grounded into a fielder’s choice forcing Burns out at second, but allowing Baylee Bates to score from third.

After getting Franklin down 1-2-3 in the top of the third – the only inning of the game when this occurred – Riverdale scored four in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good.

Riverdale 16, Franklin 8

Franklin 410 3 – 8 4 7

Riverdale 324 7 – 16 15 0

Maddy Sherwood and Libby Sugg. Caroline Faulkner and Brooke McClure. WP: Faulkner. LP: Sherwood. HR: Riverdale: Brooke McClure.