In a season already full of miraculous comeback wins, the Russell County Lady Lakers may have had their most impressive victory on Monday night with a 3-2 win over Marion County (3-2).
Down 0-2 heading into the final inning, Russell County scored three runs to take the lead and hold on for the victory.
“They don’t like to lose,” said head coach Tonya Rexroat about her team. “When they’re down, they want to find a way. They’re always helping each other, and they’re very supportive of each other.
“They just keep fighting until the end.”
The seventh inning started with a single by Mady Hatchett, and four straight balls put Sophie Shearer on first base with a walk. Emma Popplewell picked up the Lady Lakers’ first RBI of the night with a single, driving Hatchett home and leaving Shearer and Popplewell on second and first.
After a strikeout for the first out of the inning, Jadyn Mann hit a line-drive double to left field that scored Shearer to tie the game. It also moved two runners into scoring position for the Lady Lakers.
Mallie McQueary took advantage, scoring Popplewell from third on a groundout to the shortstop.
A strikeout ended the inning for the Lady Lakers, but it was enough for the team to hold on to the win.
Pitcher Tarryn Reynolds forced two groundouts and then struck out the final batter to end the game.
Reynolds pitched all seven innings, allowing only five hits and one earned run while striking out six batters.
Rexroat said the Lady Lakers were hitting the ball “all night long,” but Marion County’s defense kept coming up with strong defensive plays. Rexroat applauded her team’s ability to keep playing until the final out was made.
“[Marion County was] making great defensive plays in the outfield the entire game, and there were several balls we thought were down,” Rexroat said. “In that last inning, I told the team to just keep hitting it because this is our last chance. That’s just what they did, and we were able to get three runs across.”
Russell County falls 8-3 to Southwestern
On Saturday, Russell County suffered its first loss of the season, losing 8-3 to Southwestern (2-0).
The Lady Lakers fell behind early and couldn’t complete the comeback.
Reynolds went seven innings in the pitcher’s circle, allowing eight runs on nine hits. Only two of the runs were earned, as Russell County committed six errors in the field.
Sophie Shearer, Emma Popplewell, and Payton Kinnett each collected a hit to lead Russell County. Popplewell led the team with two runs (including on a passed ball in the first inning), and she and Kinnett each drove in one run apiece.
Lady Lakers outlast South Laurel in 16-13 shootout
Russell County’s win over South Laurel (2-1) on Friday was a high-scoring affair, with the Lady Lakers taking the 16-13 victory.
Mallie McQueary helped lead the Lady Lakers on offense with a team-high four hits and tied for the most RBI on the team with four. McQueary nearly completed the cycle, with a single in the second, single in the fourth, home run in the fifth, and double in the sixth.
Both teams scored one run apiece in the first two innings, but South Laurel put up three runs in the top of the third to take a 4-1 advantage.
Russell County answered and then some, scoring six runs to lead 7-4. McQueary, Tarryn Reynolds, Addie Davis, and Neveah Duncan all drove in runs during this offensive surge.
South Laurel tied the score at 7-7 in the top of the fourth inning, but the Lady Lakers answered once again with five runs. After taking the 12-7 advantage, Russell County never relinquished the lead again, eventually adding four more runs over the next two innings for 16 total runs.
As a team, the Lady Lakers tallied 16 hits on the day. McQueary, Reynolds, Emma Popplewell, Duncan, Mady Hatchett, and Sophie Shearer all recorded multi-hit days for Russell County.
Russell County stole six bases in the game, with McQueary and Jaylee Roy leading the way with two apiece.
In the pitcher’s circle, Reynolds struck out six batters, surrendering 13 runs (eight earned) on 10 hits over seven innings.
