Wartburg Lady Bulldogs Take Down Sunbright 4-1 – April 24, 2019
By Terry Futrell
The Wartburg Central High School Lady Bulldog softball team used a big first inning to defeat Sunbright 4-1 in a District 3 matchup, sweeping the Lady Tigers for the 2019 season. Though outhit by Sunbright 6-8, the Lady Bulldogs led off with three singles in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. From there, it was a defensive struggle as each team could only put one more point on the scoreboard in late innings.
Wartburg pitcher Madelyn “Bit” Cox struck out Sunbright’s first two batters with only seven pitches. Lady Tiger Hannah Shannon then singled on a long fly ball to center field, but was left on base when Taylor Cox flied out to shortstop Makaela Smith.
Jacey Gouge led off for Wartburg singling on a hard ground ball to center field. Alexis Harrison then singled on a ground ball to third baseman Hannah Shannon, advancing Gouge to second. With the count 3-1, Allie Aytes singled on a hard ground ball to center field, scoring both Gouge and Harrison. Aytes advanced to second base on the throw to the plate. Taylin Griffith made it to second base on an error by Sunbright, and Aytes advanced to third. Makaela Smith hit a ground ball to the Sunbright shortstop and was thrown out at first. Griffith was thrown out at third, but Aytes scored giving Wartburg a 3-0 lead. Cynthia Susak grounded out to Sunbright pitcher Zoe Jones, ending the inning.
Sunbright rallied in the second inning with back-to-back singles by Grace Daniel and Lily Davis, but both were left stranded on base. Wartburg went 3-and-out in the bottom of the second inning, hitting three infield ground balls.
Sunbright followed suit in the top of the third inning. Ashlin Trent’s deep fly ball was foiled by a leaping catch by right fielder Sydney Aytes. Callie Smith went down when Wartburg catcher Maelee Hamby made a diving catch of a foul tip. Hannah Shannon ended the inning by grounding out to pitcher Cox.
Wartburg again went 3-and-out in the bottom of the third. Gouge struck out, Harrison flied out to second, and Allie Aytes grounded out to short.
Taylor Cox led off for Sunbright in the top of the fourth, singling on a hard ground ball to right field. Lindsey Brown hit a ground ball to third baseman Allie Aytes, who threw Cox out at second. Zoe Jones flied out to Jacey Gouge, and Brown was thrown out trying to steal second by Wartburg catcher Maelee Hamby.
Wartburg managed two hits back-to-back in the bottom of the fourth. After Griffith grounded out to third, Makaela Smith singled on a hard ground ball to left. Susak then doubled on a fly ball to left, scoring Smith. Hamby and CayCay Johnson both grounded out, ending the fourth inning with Wartburg leading 4-0.
The Lady Tigers came charging back in the top of the fifth inning. Grace Daniel singled, followed by Davis grounding out to third, advancing Daniel to second. Madison Burchfield went down swinging, leaving Daniel on third. Ashlin Trent then hit a line drive double to center field, scoring Daniel. Callie Smith then singled on a hard ground ball to short and Trent advanced to third. Shannon once again came to the plate, but was intentionally walked, loading the bases for Sunbright. The Lady Tigers’ comeback faltered when Taylor Cox flied out to first base, stranding three baserunners.
Neither team could put more points on the board, and the game ended after the top of the seventh inning with the Lady Bulldogs taking the 4-1 victory.
Jacey Gouge led the Lady Bulldogs with two hits in three at bats. Grace Daniel led Sunbright, also getting two hits in three at bats. Wartburg played error-free in the game, and Sunbright committed only one error.
Wartburg’s Cox was the winning pitcher, allowing eight hits while walking only one and striking out seven. Jones was the losing pitcher for Sunbright, allowing only six hits while walking one and striking out one.
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