The Lady Cougar softball team ended a frustrating, eight-game losing streak on Monday with a 5-0 win over the John Hardin Bulldogs in Elizabethtown.
Lindsay O’Neal pitched a three-hit shutout for the win, striking out eight Bulldog batters on the way.
Bulldog pitcher, junior Hayley Wolfskill, pitched well enough to win but was done in by some shoddy defense. She allowed just four hits and one earned run in her seven innings of work, and struck out 11 Lady Cougar batters.
The Lady Cougars scored all they would need in the fifth inning. With one out, second-baseman Shelby Davis was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a passed ball. Kenzie Renfrow was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second
Maddie Duvall followed by dunking a soft liner to centerfield that scored Davis., and when the throw from the outfield got past the catcher, Renfrow scored and Duvall coasted into third. Duvall then scored on a ground out by Bailey Snyder, and the Lady Cougars led 3-0.
Grayson County added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh after two were out. Duvall walked and went to second on a single by Snyder. The runners moved to second and third after working a double steal. Duvall came in to score on a wild pitch, and when the catcher threw the ball away at first base, Snyder was able to score as well, making it 5-0.
O’Neal was in complete control throughout the game. The Bulldogs put runners at first and second with one out in the second inning, but O’Neal struck out designated player Korrie Hyche and right-fielder Naisa Knott to end the threat.
John Hardin put a runner in scoring position in the sixth inning. O’Neal hit leadoff batter Presley Herron with a pitch, and Herron then stole second base. But O’Neal retired the next three batters to end that threat.
The Lady Cougars move to 4-14 with the win and will travel to Glasgow this afternoon to face the Scotties, a team they beat back in March.
By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com
