The Logan County Lady Cougars came from behind to win 9-3 at Russellville in a district softball game Tuesday. Sheena Bilicki's two-run homer in
the fifth inning gave Logan its first lead of the game. The Lady Panthers had led 3-0 since the first inning. In fact, the first three Russellville
batters of the game scored.
Bilicki had a double to go with her home run. Emily Croslin, Lindsey Moore and seventh grader Aeron Smith also had two hits for the Lady Cougars.
Croslin scored three runs.
Katy Johnson had two hits for Russellville. Pitcher Tori Carnall tripled. She and Johnson scored two of the runs with Brittany Hampton
accounting for the other.
Jordan Melton pitched the win for Coach Toby Turpin's Lady Cougars, who moved to 2-0 in the district after beating Franklin-Simpson last week.
Melton struggled in the first inning while Carnall was very much in control the first four innings. Nine Lady Panthers went to the plate in the
opening inning. Hampton walked, Johnson reached on a two-base error, and Carnall stroked an RBI double. After Melton got Lauren Peters on a called
full-count strikeout, Courtney Barbe and Nakia Daniel each walked, and Ashley Barbe singled. With the bases loaded, Melton struck out Imani Hampton on
another full-count called strikeout. Callie Roche then lined out to first baseman Brooke Yokley.
Russellville had scored three runs in a game for the first time in nine tries this season, but they also had stranded three runners, which would
come back to haunt the home team. Melton allowed only one total baserunner in four of the final six innings.
The Lady Panthers threatened again in the fourth when Roche, Brittany Hampton and Johnson all singled to load the bases, but Melton got infield
popups from Carnall and Peters to keep them from scoring.
The Lady Cougar bats came to life in the fifth innning. Croslin and Melton began it with singles, and Erica Meguiar-- who had singled in the
third-- hit a sacrifice fly, bringing in Croslin with Logan's first run. Carnall got a groundout from Smith for the second out, but Michelle Belt
reached on an error. She scored ahead of Bilicki's home run over the left field fence, making it 4-3.
Logan added three insurance runs in the sixth inning. Yokley struck out but reached when the ball got past catcher Ashley Barbe. Moore doubled her
in. Melton and Meguiar reached on fielders' choices, Smith's second single went for an RBI, and Bilicki was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for an
RBI.
Two more runs scored in the seventh inning. Yokley reached on an error while Moore, Croslin and Melton each got their second hits. Courtesy runner
Alecia Croft scored her second run.
Russellville threatened in the seventh. Johnson singled for her second hit. After Melton struck out Carnall and Peters, Courtney Barbe singled and
Daniel walked for the second time. Then Melton got Ashely Barbe swinging for Melton's eighth strikeout. For the third time in the game, Russellville
had left the bases loaded.
Logan County's third straight win improved their record to 3-3. Russellville fell to 0-9.