BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
THE OBSERVER
BEAUREGARD — Shelby Craft hit a three-run triple in the bottom of the third and Lindsey Moulton smacked a towering two- run home run during the next at-bat to lead Beauregard High School to a 12-3 home win over Smiths Station High School on March 4.
The Lady Hornets im- prove to 6-4 on the season while the Lady Panthers fall to 3-3.
Following some frustrating mistakes that cost them several games earlier in the season, BHS head coach Scott Meadows said he’s seeing improvement as his youngest players acclimate to the rigors of varsity softball.
“We added a handful of freshmen and sophomores to the team from last year, so we have to get them up to speed,” Meadows said. “I scheduled a lot of tournaments early in the season so we could see what we have. Things will start to slow down after spring break.”
After holding SSHS at bay in the top of the first, McKenzie Handley matched her effort on the pitcher’s mound by scoring from second base courtesy of Ellie Burroughs’ gorgeous single into center field.
Raegan Brooks kicked off the Lady Hornets’ game-sealing third inning with a groundout that scored Shelby Craft from third base. Later on, Moulton added a run of her own from third base after an attempted throw out at second base went over both the second baseman’s and shortstop’s outstretched arms.
Things then spiraled out of control for the Lady Panthers during a two-out, bases-loaded situation. Facing immense pressure, SSHS allowed Burroughs to score from third base courtesy of a fielding error near the pitcher’s mound, and a walk during the next at-bat brought Emma Swords home.
At the next at-bat, Craft scored Alyssa Bond, Macie Bellflower and Maddison Blanchard with a three-run triple into deep center field right before Moulton’s towering two-run home run into left center field brought the home crowd to its feet. Although down 10-0 going into the fourth inning, the Lady Panthers fought back after Chloe Johnson blasted a line-drive double into center field that scored Chloe Huckelba all the way from first base.
In the fifth inning, Lynzie Mounce added to SSHS’ run total with a line-drive single just inside of second base, which scored Mak- enna Pearce from second base.
However, Bellflower added to her excellent night running the bases in the bottom of the fifth as a
Moulton sacrificial fly ball into center field brought her home from third base.
Despite going down another run again, Huck- elba scored her second run of the evening — this time from third base — in the top of the sixth after Kayla Fuller knocked a double into center field and a BHS outfielder slipped while fielding the hit.
Avery Parmer then concluded the scoring in the bottom of the sixth inning with a solo home run for the Lady Hornets that just made it over the center field wall.
