Knightettes score earned run in eighth to beat Lady Rebels

By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor

PARK HILLS — The Farmington Knightettes were given a chance to win by the Central Lady Rebels with a pair of runs on wild pitches, but the Lady Rebels took back the chance, and the Knightettes had to play an extra inning, this time earning the 3-2 win.

Erin Littrell faced only one over the minimum amount of batters in her first four innings on the mound for the Knightettes, striking out four and fielding three ground balls in the process, while giving up one walk. Littrell pitched all eight innings and finished with a total of eight strike-outs and only the one base-on-balls.

Farmington shone on baserunning with four stolen bases and only one running error and taking advantage of three wild pitches and one error. The Knightettes, unlike Tuesday night, played the entire game without an error.

“We’ve been working on small-ball type of playing We’re young and we know offensively we’re not going to do as well. Bunting has been our Achilles heel so far. Erin (Littrell) is the only one who does it well. The other girls still have to learn the skill,” said Kyle O’Dell, Farmington’s new softball coach.

Littrell laid down two bunts, both going for base hits, making her the only Knightette with more than one. However, it would be the speed of lead-off hitter Allie Trask that would give the Knightettes the winning advantage.

Trask scored two of Farmington’s three runs. She reached on an error in the first inning, and later raced home on a wild pitch for the first run of the game, and in the eighth, Trask beat out an infield single, stole two bases and scored on a single by the No. 2 batter Natalie Hoehn.

Farmington’s second run was manufactured by Tayler Benne. Benne hit a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, reached third on a ground ball to second by Nikki Broccard, and then scored on another wild pitch.

The score remained 2-0 until Central’s hitters broke out in the sixth inning. With one out Ali Rhodes turned on a pitch for a single to left field. Amber Kennedy followed with another to put runners at the corners, and catcher Sarah Tripp, a senior, hit one through the hole for the team’s first RBI.

A ground ball by Addie Scoggin made the score 2-2 as Kennedy was able to race home when a play was made on freshman pinch-runner Sabrina (Little Tripp) Tripp.

The Lady Rebels had their chances in the fifth inning with a lead-off double by Addie Scoggin, followed with a single by Taylor Friend, but both runners were cut down at the plate on a ground ball to Littrell and a throw from left fielder Chelsea Thomure after fielding a base hit from Erin St. Gemme.

The Lady Rebels were able to keep the game close in the top of the eighth. After Trask had scored the go-ahead run, the Knightettes loaded the bases with no outs, but Central pitcher Melanie Cunningham got the next batter to pop out to the catcher, and after her seventh strike-out victim, a ground ball finished off the multi-run threat.

Rhodes led off the bottom of the eighth with a single to left to start Central’s last chance. Littrell registered her eighth strike-out for the first out, and then snagged a line drive above her right shoulder to double up Rhodes at first and end the game.

Central (1-2) will play next at Potosi on Tuesday. Farmington (2-1) will play in the Union Tournament on Saturday, and will then host North County on Tuesday.

Farmington  100 100 01 - 3  5  0

Central  000 002 00 - 2  7  1



Pitching: WP- Littrell 8i 2r 7h 8k 1bb. LP- Cunningham 8i 3r 5h 7k 3bb 1hb.

Hitting:

Farmington - Littrell 2-3, Trask 1-4, Hoehn 1-4, Benne 1-4.

Central - Rhodes 2-4, Kennedy 1-3, Friend 1-3, Scoggin 1-3, St. Gemme 1-3, Sarah Tripp 1-4. 2b- Scoggin.