Straughn posts area shutout over Pike County, 8-0

Straughn used all three facets of the game and had timely hitting, strong pitching, and stellar defense in an 8-0 area win against Pike County in varsity softball action on Tuesday, April 1.

The Lady Tigers evened their season record at 10-10 and 1-2 in 4A Area 4. The Lady Bulldogs fell to 2-15 and 0-2 in area play.

Pike County loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first on three straight singles by Abigail Griffin, Hailey Griffin, and Taylor Trawick. Julia Harold battled back and extinguished the rally by retiring the next two batters on strikeouts. Straughn went quickly in the bottom half, and the game remained scoreless after one inning.

Harold continued to deliver the heat and struck out two more batters in the second. After Morgan Gardner walked, Sophie Pettus threw Gardner out attempting to steal second. Another quick home half kept the game scoreless after two innings.

A. Griffin doubled with one out in the visiting third and made her way to third. Harold once again held the Lady Bulldogs in check and escaped the threat.

Harold then opened the bottom of the inning with a triple and scored the first run of the game on an error. McKena Bailey followed with a single and took second on a wild pitch. Katelyn Ranta then grounded out and sent Bailey to third. Adelaide Dunn extended the lead to 2-0 with an RBI groundout. Jaycee Norton knocked a two-out single, while Annlee Wise reached on an error and put runners at the corners. Pettus hit a clutch single and plated Norton as the Lady Tigers took a 3-0 lead after three innings.

Arianna Straw led off the top of the fourth with a single before two quick outs. Gardner was hit by a pitch, and Makayla Franklin singled to load the bases. Bailey took over in the circle and struck out Leah Dixon as another rally from the visitors came up empty-handed. The bottom half went by quickly, and the score stayed 3-0 after four innings.

Pike County could not take advantage of a one-out walk to H. Griffin. Straughn gained some more breathing room with two runs in its half. Ranta led off with a single and advanced all the way to third when Dunn laid down a sacrifice bunt. Ranta then came home before Norton reached on an infield single and stole second. Pettus executed another clutch RBI single and pushed the lead to 5-0 after five innings.

Bailey needed only nine pitches for a 1-2-3 top of the sixth. The Lady Tigers then struck for three runs and put the game out of reach. Callie Ann McVay got the home half started with a single as courtesy runner Layla Walker stole second. Logan Parrish walked, and a wild pitch sent Walker to third. Bailey brought home Walker with a sacrifice fly for a 6-0 margin. Ranta followed with a double and put two runners in scoring position with one out. Dunn then found green grass and scored both Parrish and Ranta for an 8-0 lead after six innings.

The Lady Bulldogs were determined to score in their half of the seventh. Franklin reached on a miscue, but Pettus threw her out attempting to steal second. Dixon doubled and reached third on a passed ball, but H. Griffin grounded out and ended the game.

Pettus finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Norton and Ranta were also 2-for-3 and scored two runs. Harold picked up the win and gave up six hits in 3 2/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Bailey earned the save and allowed just one hit with three strikeouts in the final 3 1/3 innings.

Straughn is back in action on Tuesday, April 8, for a 4:30 matchup at Luverne.