In a game that was eerily similar to their first encounter of the season, Logan County came from behind to win over visiting Russellville Tuesday
to sweep the regular season Clashes of the Cats.
A couple of weeks earlier, Russellville led 3-0 until the fifth inning, only to fall 9-3.
This time Coach Vernoica Johnson's team led 2-0 until the bottom of the fourth inning, but the Lady Cougars came back to win 6-2.
Once again, Tori Carnall pitched well in shutting out the experienced home team for three innings, but the final half of the game and the
victory belonged to Logan County.
Coach Toby Turpin started eight of the nine Lady Cougars who had taken the field in the game at Russellville, but the defense looked
different. First baseman Brooke Yokley moved to the mound, shortstop Michelle Belt played first, and second baseman Emily Croslin stepped over to
the left side of the infield as the shortstop. Alecia Croft, who served as a courtey runner in the first game, was the second baseman. Jordan Melton,
who pitched the first win, sat this one out.
Yokley made a strong showing as the pitcher. She retired the Lady Panthers on four pitches in the first inning. Only one of the two RHS runs was
earned. She gave up only five hits and one walk while striking out five. She did hit two batters.
Belt was super at first base, including making two good catches of short pop fouls and handling everything thrown to her.
The Logan defense was porous in the second inning. RHS leadoff batter Brittany Hampton singled when Sheena Bilicki couldn't get to her grounder
and Croslin's throw was late. Then Croft and Croslin both mishandled ground balls,.and centerfielder Jordan Schafer's wild throw home let runners
advance.
Later, however, Schafer made a super diving catch on Daniel's sinking fly ball, Croft threw out the first two runners of the seventh inning, and
Croslin covered third while on the move after Bilicki smothered Ashley Barbe's bases-loaded grounder and forced Imani Hampton to end the game with the
bases loaded.
Russellville's Brittany Hampton scored the game's first run after reaching on that infield hit. Yokley struck out two Lady Panthers, but Lauren
Peters and Carnall reached on consecutive infield errors with Hampton scoring.
The other Lady Panther run came in the fourth inning. Hampton got her second hit, but was forced by Barbe. Callie Roche popped out to Belt, but
Peters singled, Carnall walked, and Courtney Barbe got an RBI when ball four of a full-count hit her with the bases loaded.
Yokley retired eight of the next Lady Panther batters she faced, with Ashley Barbe's single being the ninth.
Logan scored and took the lead for keeps in the fourth innning. Erica Meguiar struck out but reached when the ball got away from the catcher.
Seventh grader Aeron Smith followed with a single. Belt walked to load the bases, and Bilcki crushed a 2-run double to tie the score. It was her third
extra-base hit against RHS in two games. Lindsey Moore followed with an RBI single, Yokley got her team's third consecutive hit, and Schafter made
Carnall throw her nine pitches before she hit a sacrifice fly to left, bringing home Bilicki with the fourth run.
The Lady Cougars added two insurance runs in the fifth inning. Meguiar walked and moved up on Smith's ground ball to the right side. Carnall
walked Bilicki on four pitches, and the RHS contingent breathed a sigh of relief to get the power hitter out of the way. But Moore's second hit went
for a pair of RBIs, giving her three for the game.
Russellville threatened in the top of the seventh with two outs. Katy Johnson started it with a double. Iamani Hampton reached on an error, and
Brittany Hampton made it to base for the third time by being hit by pitch. With two outs and the bases loaded, Ashley Barbe hit the grounder which
Bilicki and Croslin turned into the final out.
Carnall pitched a six-hitter and walked four. Meguiar, Smith, Bilicki, and Moore each were on base twice. Meguiar and Moore each scored twice.
Croslin had a hit and Croft reached on an error.
The Lady Cougars ran their record to 6-6 with five of the wins coming against district teams. One of the wins over Todd Central doesn't count in
the seeding because it was an invitational tournament game.
The Lady Panthers have only scored 21 runs in their 18 losses this year, but 5 of them have been against LCHS. Two of the three games in which
they scored more than a run were also against the district leaders.
If the current standings hold up, these two teams would meet again in the district tournament.