Gary
Franklin - Sports Writer
South Ripley Lady Raider softball season was
to open at home this season, however, the rainy
weather would prove to be either a rescheduling
of the game or a move to Jennings County High
School to play on a field that would handle
the rains. The opted choice was to play at Jennings
County field with South Ripley as the home team.
Abbey Lemon began the Lady Raider season on
the mound. The Lady Panthers were able to get
a hit in the first inning but were unable to
score. Likewise, the Lady Raiders batting in
the bottom of the first, were unable to score.
Leading off for the Lady Raiders was Melinda
Berry, second was Erica Burress, and the third
to enter the batter's box was Courtney Walker.
With the Panther pitcher racking up three strike
outs, the game moved to inning #2.
In the second inning the Panthers threatened
to load the bases before a line drive was snagged
by Lady Raider third baseman, Ashley Thomas,
where she quickly stepped on the bag for the
double play. The Lady Raiders sealed the deal
for out #3 to move to the bottom of the second.
In the Lady Raider second inning, the Panther
pitcher again struck the side out. Facing their
first at bats of the new season were Kristen
Huss, Ashley Thomas, and Erica Pollard.
Inning #3 began with a 0-0 tie. The Lady Panthers
sent 4 batters to the plate before being retired
with no score for their efforts.
Again the Lady Raiders were struck down by
the Panther pitcher as Janna Lloyd, Abbey Lemon,
and Sierra Groves took their first at bats of
the season.
The fourth inning opened at 0-0 but would
not end as such as the Lady Panthers were able
to score 2 runs. The lead off batter walked,
a pair of back to back singles, and the bases
were loaded. A pop up foul out to Lady Raider
catcher Erica Pollard accounted for the first
out of the inning.
Ashley Thomas at third base for the Lady Raiders
snagged the grounder, tagging her bag for the
force out, but a run scored. The next JC batter
singled driving the runner home from second
base accounting for a 2-0 score. A dribbler
to first baseman Janna Lloyd for the third out
of the inning retired the side.
Batting in the bottom of the fourth for the
Lady Raiders were the 1, 2, and 3 batters, resulting
again in Panther strike-outs to end the inning
at Lady Panthers 2-0 Lady Raiders.
In the top of the fifth, back to back plays
by Lady Raider third baseman Ashley Thomas,
to first baseman Janna Lloyd, quickly gave the
Lady Panthers 2 outs.
In what should have been a 1-2-3 inning, the
ball came up on Thomas, striking her on the
bare hand, resulting in injury, leading to a
Lady Panther on base. A wild pitch advanced
the runner to second, followed by a single,
scoring the runner. Lemon took the batter to
a full count before losing her to the walk.
With runners occupying first and second base,
a wild pitch allowed both to move up. A shot
through the infield led to 2 more runs for the
Panthers. With a runner at first, the batter
doubled a shot over Kristen Huss in left field
to drive in another run. The final out of the
Lady Panther fifth finally came on an infield
fly, called for and caught by shortstop Courtney
Walker.
Lady Raiders Huss, Thomas, and Pollard, were
again fanned by the Lady Panther pitching, ending
the fifth inning with JC 6-0 SR.
In the Lady Panther top of the sixth, three
more runs would score. The lead off batter reached
by being hit by a pitch, then stole second base.
A walk put runners on first and second, where
a pitch through the catcher allowed both to
advance. The batter flew out to short stop Courtney
Walker for out #1. A play from Walker to Lloyd
for the second out followed a pair of runs scoring,
clearing the bases.
A single, a couple of stolen bases, a run
scored and a walk led to a Erica Burress, covering
second base, to Lloyd at first for the third
out to end the top of the sixth 9-0.
The Lady Raider at bat in the bottom of the
sixth sent Alisha Simon to the plate for her
first at bat of the season where she singled
on the pitchers first delivery. A Lemon strike
out, followed by a Groves strike out, led to
Josie Franklin's first at bat of the season.
Franklin playing in right field went to the
plate and with a 1-1 count, Simon attempted
to steal second but was thrown out for out #3.
In the seventh, the Lady Panthers added 2
more runs to their total before being closed
out. A lead off single and a stolen base started
their spurt. A Lemon to Huss play, now at first
base, produced the first out of the inning.
An error by Huss allowed the batter to reach
first as a run scored. A walk, and a single,
led to a fly out to right fielder Franklin for
the sac and the second out. Another walk loaded
the bases before Lemon took the batter to a
full count, resulting in a strike out for the
third out to end the top of the seventh inning.
Down by a count of 11 to 0, Franklin returned
to the plate to continue her at bat. With a
count of 1-1, Franklin drove a shot at the short
stop, who scooped it up, and fired a strike
to first for out #1 of the Lady Raider seventh.
Erica Burress entered the batter's box, popping
up foul to the catcher for the second out. Courtney
Walker took the count to full and ended up with
a walk. On Kristen Huss' at bat, Walker took
second base on a wild pitch. As Huss continued
her at bat to the count of no balls and 2 strikes,
she drove a pitch toward the short stop, who
in turn fired to first for the third and final
out of the game, and a Lady Panther win at 11-0.
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