Lady Raiders drop one-run decision to Lincoln County
By Steve LeMaster
stevelemastersports@yahoo.com
STEARNS – McCreary Central’s bid to fend off Lincoln County fell short. Visiting Lincoln County held on to defeat the Lady Raiders 9-8 in a high school softball game on Friday.
Lincoln County managed to outhit the Lady Raiders 13-9.
With the loss, McCreary Central slipped to 6-5.
As a result of the win, Lincoln County improved to 5-10.
Lincoln County pitcher Lydia Rice earned the win. Rice pitched a complete game, allowing eight runs on nine hits while striking out two over seven innings.
McCreary Central pitcher Macey Welchel took the loss. Welchel surrendered nine runs on 13 hits over seven innings, striking out two.
Lincoln County used a five-run outburst in the top half of the fourth inning to move ahead of the Lady Raiders.
The Lady Patriots won despite committing four errors.
Homestanding McCreary Central doubled up Lincoln County 4-2 in the opening inning and carried a 5-2 advantage of the second frame before Lincoln County answered. The Lady Patriots pushed two runs across in the top half of the third inning to pull to within one score of host McCreary Central.
Several players contributed for Lincoln County in the victory, especially during the fifth frame.
Maddy Boyle, Carmen Green, Baleigh Reardon and Trinity Shearer each collected multiple hits for the Lady Patriots. Boyle went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead Lincoln County’s offensive effort. Rice, Boyle and Green drove in two runs apiece for the Lady Patriots in the triumph.
McCreary Central smacked two home runs. Welchel and Allyson Anderson each hit a home run for the Lady Raiders in the bottom half of the sixth inning.
Welchel, Walker and Anderson each provided multiple hits for the Lady Raiders. The versatile Welchel led McCreary Central’s offensive effort, providing three hits in four at-bats. Welchel, Walker and Cammie Gilreath drove in two runs apiece for the Lady Raiders.
McCreary Central dropped its second game to Lincoln County in the 2018 high school softball season. In an early-season meeting in Stanford on March 26, Lincoln County defeated the Lady Raiders 5-2.
