Outscoring visiting Russellville 5-1 in the last three innings, the Logan County Lady Cougars beat visiting Russellville 7-5 in an important district softball game Tuesday. The win made Logan 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the district.
Sydney Lee played a big role in the win. After her second hit of the game drove in what proved to be the winning run, she held RHS to one run in the final two innings when she relieved Abby Hinton on the mound.
The fifth inning was huge for the winners. The first five batters not only reached base but they all scored. The Lady Panthers walked Jillian McLellan, who had already hit a two-run homer in the game. Then Shelby Gettings, KJ Page, Brea Croslin and Lee all singled. Lee scored the seventh run when Abby Canler reached on an error. Shaina Johnson had reached on a fielder’s choice to be on base when McLellan homered.
Coach Ryan Davenport’s Lady Panthers had taken the lead in the top of the fourth on just two hits, aided by three straight Lady Cougar errors. A sacrifice bunt and two singles helped the cause. Taryn Gray and Jaylah Kees each singled to help
Taryn Gray, Kees and Addie Mosier reached on the errors. Gray scored on the third one, and the others moved up on Hannah Alford’s sacrifice bunt. A’miyah Collier got her second straight hit for an RBI. Tonisha Hampton stroked an RBI single, and Chloe Whitescarver drove in Collier with the fourth run.
Collier’s third hit drove in Alford with the Lady Panthers’ final run. Alford singled and Collier doubled. Lee then got six of the last seven RHS batters out, with Susanna Higgins reaching on an error as the only exception.
Russellville had threatened to score in the third when Hampton walked and Brooklyn Ray slashed a double, but Lady Cougar starting pitcher Abby Hinton got two groundouts to end the inning.
Logan scored the seven runs on nine hits and four walks. Page had 3 hits with Lee and Gettings adding two each. Croslin and McLellan had one hit each. Croslin, Lee and McLellan each drove in two runs. McLellan walked twice and Page and Presley Harris once each.
Collier matched Page with three hits. Whitescarver had two while Hampton, Ray and Alford each had one. Hampton worked the only walk off Hinton and Lee.
Even though the Lady Panthers lost, they made only two errors. The Lady Cougars committed five.
Hinton got the pitching win for Coach Mark Woods’ team with Lee recording the save. Only one of the runs was earned.
Gray went the distance for the Lady Panthers. 9 (5-3)