Coalfield Lady Jackets Crush Oliver Springs

By Terry Futrell

It took only one inning for the Coalfield Lady Jackets to show their dominance over the Oliver Springs Lady Cats in the District 3-A Softball Tournament on Tuesday. Coalfield combined effective pitching, error-free fielding, and strong batting to crush the Lady Cats 13-1 in four innings and send Oliver Springs to the losers’ bracket of the tournament.

Coalfield pitcher Anna Smith, supported by her infield, quickly shut down the Lady Cats in the first inning. The best Oliver Springs batters could do was hit ground balls in the infield. The Jacket batters then showed their stuff, amassing six runs in the bottom of the first inning. Mikayla Heidle led off with a single, Malachi Armes was hit by a pitched ball, and Mackenzy Morgan reached base on an error by the Lady Cats. Anna Smith and Carlee Kees each singled, driving in two runs for Coalfield. Taylor Landrum took base on a fielder’s choice, scoring Morgan. Alexis Morrison doubled to center field, scoring Kees. Both Landrum and Morrison scored on a wild pitch, giving Coalfield a 6-0 lead. The Lady Cats finally closed out the inning, but irreparable damage had been done.

Oliver Springs managed to put one run on the board in the top of the third, but Coalfield answered with six more runs in the bottom of the third. The Lady Jackets put two runners on base via walks, and one as a result of being hit by a pitch. Coalfield batters had a hey-day, with Morrison, Heidle, Armes, Morgan, and Kees each hitting singles. At the end of three, Coalfield led 12-1.

It was three-up-and-three-down for Oliver Springs in the top of the fourth, with Smith registering two strikeouts. In the bottom of the fourth, Lindsey Maston singled and Heidle reached base on an error by the Oliver Springs infield. Maston scored on the same error, bringing Coalfield’s final victory total to 13-1.

Smith was the winning pitcher, limiting Oliver Springs to only one hit and recording only two walks. Desirae Davis was the losing pitcher for the Lady Cast, giving up 12 runs and two walks.

Oliver Springs falls to the losers bracket where they will play Rockwood at 7 PM on Wednesday. Coalfield will face district leader Harriman on Thursday at 7 PM.

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