BATS STAY HOT: Lady Cardinals pound out 18 hits during 16-9 win over Corbin
Apr. 16—LONDON — South Laurel's bats remained red-hot during its 16-9 win over 50th District rival Corbin on Thursday.
The Lady Cardinals pounded out 18 hits and have now scored 37 runs during their past two games.
South Laurel (4-2 overall, 2-0 vs. 50th District opponents) used a nine-run fourth inning to put some distance between the two teams while adding four more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to wrap up the win.
"I'm proud of this team's perseverance to come out and get back-to-back district wins," South Laurel coach Carly Mink said. "We hit the ball really well from top to bottom of the lineup with 18 hits. We still made some crucial mistakes on defense and base running but we will learn from them and get better. This is a fun team to coach."
Senior Chloe Taylor continues to swing one of the hottest bats in the state. She went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate while driving in four runs and scoring three times. Taylor is now batting .750 (15-for-20) and has driven in a team-best 11 runs.
Addison Baker and Madison Worley each had big games at the plate as well. They both finished with three hits, two RBI, and two runs scored apiece. Katie Jervis finished with two hits, one RBI, and three runs scored while Jaylyn Lewis and Bailey Frazier finished with two hits, two RBI, and one run scored apiece. Karly Gray delivered a hit, an RBI, and two runs scored while Makayla Blair added two hits and two RBI.
Gray also picked up the win in the pitcher's circle, allowing 11 hits, and six earned runs while striking out five batters.
The loss dropped Corbin to 2-6 overall and 1-2 against 50th District competition.
"Wow what a battle," Corbin coach Crystal Stidham said. "We fought back but like everything in this game, it's a process. South is always a great team and our girls went toe to toe with them. We had some miscues again and they had some that just dropped in and cost us runs. But hey, we will be ok. We need to face adversity and get better, and mark it down, my team will do it. We have a lot of season left and we will get stronger and better.
"Every day is a blessing, and at the end of the day, I'm so happy our kids are getting to play," she added. "We are like everyone else, changing things up, working through illnesses, and challenges, but hey that's softball. So many pieces are starting to come together for some like Bailey 'Noodles' Stewart, she went yard tonight over those double walls and got her fire back, I knew she has always had, and my lineup showed up big where we had struggled and these are key to building confidence. My defense is laying out to make plays and getting better. I'm adjusting my field as we play, and we are finding where our strengths are. As always, go Lady Redhounds."
Shelby Stewart led Corbin at the plate with three hits and two runs scored. Kallie Housley finished with two hits, two RBI, and one run scored while Kaylee Morales had two hits, an RBI, and one run scored. Kennedie Guiher collected one hit, two RBI, and one run scored while Bailey Stewart had a home run, one RBI, and two runs scored. Danni Foley finished with a hit, and an RBI while Kaila Stidham turned in a one-hit effort and scored a run.
Shelby Stewart pitched three innings, allowing seven hits, and six earned runs while finishing with two strikeouts. Housley tossed one inning, surrendering seven hits and six earned runs while Guiher pitched the final two innings, allowing four hits and four earned runs.
The game was tied at one apiece before seeing South Laurel score two runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. Corbin ties the game at three apiece with two runs in the top of the fourth before seeing the Lady Cardinals build a 12-3 cushion thanks to a nine-run bottom of the fourth.
The Lady Redhounds answered with five runs in the top of the fifth inning while adding another run in the top of the sixth to cut their deficit to 12-9. South Laurel out the game away with four runs in the bottom of the sixth.
