Softball roundup: Baynard blanks Villa Rica as Miller, Hardin homer
The Woodland Lady Cats went on the road Tuesday night and picked up an important Region 7-AAAAA victory behind the strong pitching of Sarah Baynard and a pair of home runs by Hannah Miller and Kendyl Hardin.
In other action, Adairsville lost its eighth-straight Region 6-AAA game at North Murray and Cass lost its seventh-consecutive game in a home loss to Hiram.
BAYNARD BLANKS VILLA RICA; MILLER, HARDIN HOMER
Sarah Baynard (photo) tossed a complete game shutout while Hannah Miller hit a grand slam and Kendyl Hardin hit a three-run homer as visiting Woodland blanked Villa Rica 8-0 Tuesday night in a Region 7-AAAAA contest.
Baynard went all seven innings and needed only 86 pitches to scatter seven hits. She fanned four and did not walk a batter.
Ansley Evans had three hits in the Lady Cats’ 15-hit assault. Miller, Hardin, Morgan Cooper, Caroline Higdon, and Bella Carnes each contributed two hits. Morgan Bailey and Jordan Duck also added one hit.
Villa Rica is not 5-5 overall and 3-3 in region action.
Woodland (7-5, 3-2) hosts Rome Thursday at 5:55 p.m. before facing Adairsville Friday at Hamilton Crossing Park at 5 p.m. in the Bartow County Championship Tournament.
The tournament will conclude Saturday at Woodland with a third place game at 11 a.m. followed by a championship game at 1 p.m. Cass will play Cartersville in the other semifinal Friday at 7 p.m. at Hamilton Crossing Park.
LADY TIGERS COME UP SHORT AT NORTH MURRAY
Adairsville softball came up short at North Murray Tuesday evening 6-2 in a Region 6-AAA contest.
The Mountaineers took a 2-0 lead through two inning before Adairsville narrowed the margin to 2-1 in the top of the third. North Murray then scored three times in their half of the third to take a 5-1 lead and made it 6-1 in the fifth before holding on for their four-run victory.
Talli Burgess (7 IP, 2R, 1ER, 5H, 2BB, 9K) picked up the pitching win for North Murray with a complete-game effort.
McKinley Fields and Jodi Evans combined for four hits and five RBI for the Lady Mountaineers. Fields’ two hits were a double and a triple.
Victoria O’Neal (2.1 IP, 4ER, 5H, 1BB, 2K) was the starting pitcher for the Tigers and was tagged with the loss. Taylor Rhoades (3.2 IP, 2R, 1ER, 3H, 0BB, 1K) worked the final frames.
The Lady Tigers had five hits in the contest.
Sadye Johnson doubled. Chloe Souders had a hit and one RBI. Cortni Jacobs, Natalie Burrow, and Sierra Tanner had the other Adairsville base hits.
The Mountaineers improved to 9-6 overall and 4-5 in region action with their win.
Adairsville (2-13, 1-8) faces Woodland Friday at Hamilton Crossing Park in the Bartow County Softball Championship Tournament. The tourney third place and championship games are Saturday at Woodland.
LADY COLONELS SUFFER SEVENTH STRAIGHT LOSS
Cass softball lost its seventh in a row Tuesday night, falling to visiting Hiram 13-3 in the Region 7-AAAAA game.
The Lady Colonels led 3-1 through three innings, but Hiram scored a dozen runs over the final four innings for a 10-run victory.
Cass committed six errors in the game, making seven of Hiram’s runs unearned.
Kylee Hembree started in the circle for the Lady Colonels and took the pitching loss. Haley Owens worked the final 2 and 2/3 innings.
Six different Cass players had one hit each.
Jaden Musacchio doubled. Kelly Young tripled. Eryn Lee, Kelly Young, Kylee Hembree (RBI), Haley Owens (RBI), and Saydee Najarro had the other Cass base hits.
Cass stole seven bases, led by Lee with three and Kaila Carson with two. Owens and Kelly Young also swiped a base.
Hiram improved to 7-2-1 overall and 4-2 in region games.
Cass (1-8, 1-4) hosts Paulding County in another region contest Thursday at 5:55 p.m. and will play Cartersville Friday at Hamilton Crossing Park in the Bartow County Championship Tournament semifinals at 7 p.m.
The third place game and championship game will be played Saturday at Woodland starting at 11 a.m.
