Lady Tigers avenge loss, defeat rival Hillsboro
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The McClain Lady Tigers avenged an early season loss to a Highland County rival Wednesday night. Earlier this year, MHS dropped a South Central Ohio League game to the Hillsboro Lady Indians, but the second time around MHS took control and fought off late scoring by HHS, defeating the Lady Indians 7-4.
The win was the Lady Tigers' fifth in a row and second of the week as they defeated the Fairfield Lady Lions on Monday.
MHS scored their runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings, while the Lady Tribe had runs in the first, fourth and seventh innings.
"The girls started the game aggressive, and they were ready to play," MHS head coach Jarrod Haines said. "The girls had a different swagger than what they had in the first meeting."
In the circle, the Lady Tigers were led by Megan Dettwiller as she earned the win. Dettwiller allowed two runs (none earned) on five hits and three walks. Dettwiller finished with five strikeouts.
"Megan pitched well," Haines said. "She had a few walks but battled and threw strikes. Defensively, we were a lot better."
McClain (7-10, 3-4) was first to score in the Highland County battle, with Cortney Hyer reaching first on a walk. Dettwiller followed with a base hit, along with Sasha Lawwell hitting a single to shallow left field for an RBI. Alex Taylor followed with a single through the middle of the infield with two outs. Once the inning was finished, the Lady Tigers led 3-0 with Hyer, Dettwiller and Lawwell all scoring runs.
Hillsboro (4-13, 1-5) answered with one run in their half of the first. Paij Shelton singled up the middle. After Shelton was out at second base, HHS forced two walks with AJ Sanders scoring the HHS run.
Pitching took over in the next couple innings until the top of the fourth, with MHS adding two runs to their lead.
Taylor began with a single, followed with a sacrifice bunt by Frankie Wise. Morgan Dettwiller reached first on an error, allowing Taylor to touch home plate.
Kate Crabtree hit a double, and Morgan Dettwiller eventually scored later in the inning, giving MHS a 5-1 advantage.
The bottom of the fourth saw HHS add another run, with Sanders rounding the bases after Savannah Reed hit a two-out double.
McClain added their final two runs in the top of the fifth.
Kate Hammond, with one out, singled to take first base. Jenna Perie was hit by a pitch in the leg to give MHS runners on first and second. Taylor added two more RBIs to her stats as she belted a triple, scoring both Hammond and Cierra Landrum, who was a courtesy runner for Perie.
Hillsboro rallied for two runs in their final at-bat. Miranda Frump began with a walk and Shelton followed by reaching on an error. Both runners were scored by a RBI base hit from Sanders.
"If we don't let them score unearned runs, it is a 4-3 ballgame," HHS head coach Krista George said. "We had a couple kids hit well, but we left too many base runners on the bases. That hurts, and we left the runner at third a couple times."
Late in the game, there were two notable fielding plays. In the top of the sixth, Kaelee Sexton forced the first out of the inning when she fielded the ball that bounced off her glove but saved it by catching it with her bare hand and throwing the runner out at first base.
Hyer made a diving catch on a line drive ball in the bottom of the seventh inning for the Lady Tigers.
For the Tigers, Ashley Green pitched one inning of relief in the seventh inning. She allowed two runs (none earned) on one hit and one walk.
The loss went to Kayla Rosselott. She pitched seven innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on eight hits and three walks.
At the plate for HHS, Sanders finished 2-for-3. Shelton was 2-for-4 with one run.
"AJ and Paij made some nice fielding plays for us in the outfield," George said. "Savannah Reed played a good game as well. She has been sick but hit the ball for us. She also threw a couple runners out (Wednesday)."
The Lady Tigers were led by Taylor who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and one run. Lawwell was 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run. Megan Dettwiller finished 2-for-4 with one run.
HHS falls to 4-13 overall, 1-5 in the SCOL. The win lifts MHS to 7-10 overall, 3-4 in the SCOL.
BOX SCORE
MHS 300 220 0 - 7
HHS 100 100 2 - 4[[In-content Ad]]
The win was the Lady Tigers' fifth in a row and second of the week as they defeated the Fairfield Lady Lions on Monday.
MHS scored their runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings, while the Lady Tribe had runs in the first, fourth and seventh innings.
"The girls started the game aggressive, and they were ready to play," MHS head coach Jarrod Haines said. "The girls had a different swagger than what they had in the first meeting."
In the circle, the Lady Tigers were led by Megan Dettwiller as she earned the win. Dettwiller allowed two runs (none earned) on five hits and three walks. Dettwiller finished with five strikeouts.
"Megan pitched well," Haines said. "She had a few walks but battled and threw strikes. Defensively, we were a lot better."
McClain (7-10, 3-4) was first to score in the Highland County battle, with Cortney Hyer reaching first on a walk. Dettwiller followed with a base hit, along with Sasha Lawwell hitting a single to shallow left field for an RBI. Alex Taylor followed with a single through the middle of the infield with two outs. Once the inning was finished, the Lady Tigers led 3-0 with Hyer, Dettwiller and Lawwell all scoring runs.
Hillsboro (4-13, 1-5) answered with one run in their half of the first. Paij Shelton singled up the middle. After Shelton was out at second base, HHS forced two walks with AJ Sanders scoring the HHS run.
Pitching took over in the next couple innings until the top of the fourth, with MHS adding two runs to their lead.
Taylor began with a single, followed with a sacrifice bunt by Frankie Wise. Morgan Dettwiller reached first on an error, allowing Taylor to touch home plate.
Kate Crabtree hit a double, and Morgan Dettwiller eventually scored later in the inning, giving MHS a 5-1 advantage.
The bottom of the fourth saw HHS add another run, with Sanders rounding the bases after Savannah Reed hit a two-out double.
McClain added their final two runs in the top of the fifth.
Kate Hammond, with one out, singled to take first base. Jenna Perie was hit by a pitch in the leg to give MHS runners on first and second. Taylor added two more RBIs to her stats as she belted a triple, scoring both Hammond and Cierra Landrum, who was a courtesy runner for Perie.
Hillsboro rallied for two runs in their final at-bat. Miranda Frump began with a walk and Shelton followed by reaching on an error. Both runners were scored by a RBI base hit from Sanders.
"If we don't let them score unearned runs, it is a 4-3 ballgame," HHS head coach Krista George said. "We had a couple kids hit well, but we left too many base runners on the bases. That hurts, and we left the runner at third a couple times."
Late in the game, there were two notable fielding plays. In the top of the sixth, Kaelee Sexton forced the first out of the inning when she fielded the ball that bounced off her glove but saved it by catching it with her bare hand and throwing the runner out at first base.
Hyer made a diving catch on a line drive ball in the bottom of the seventh inning for the Lady Tigers.
For the Tigers, Ashley Green pitched one inning of relief in the seventh inning. She allowed two runs (none earned) on one hit and one walk.
The loss went to Kayla Rosselott. She pitched seven innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on eight hits and three walks.
At the plate for HHS, Sanders finished 2-for-3. Shelton was 2-for-4 with one run.
"AJ and Paij made some nice fielding plays for us in the outfield," George said. "Savannah Reed played a good game as well. She has been sick but hit the ball for us. She also threw a couple runners out (Wednesday)."
The Lady Tigers were led by Taylor who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and one run. Lawwell was 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run. Megan Dettwiller finished 2-for-4 with one run.
HHS falls to 4-13 overall, 1-5 in the SCOL. The win lifts MHS to 7-10 overall, 3-4 in the SCOL.
BOX SCORE
MHS 300 220 0 - 7
HHS 100 100 2 - 4[[In-content Ad]]