Softball gets trio of wins in 7-3A

Franklin County’s varsity softball team picked up three key wins last week in thumping Port Gibson, 18-1, on the road Thursday, March 23 and beating Hazlehurst in back-to-back contests at home on Tuesday, March 21.

The trio of victories lifted the Lady Bulldogs to a 9-5 overall record on the 2023 season.

FC 18, PORT GIBSON 1

Despite both teams going scoreless through the first two innings of their showdown last Thursday, Franklin County went on to score nine runs apiece in the top of the third and fourth innings while the Lady Blue Waves plated one run in the bottom of the third.

FC collected a total of seven hits and committed four errors while Port Gibson mustered one hit and accounted for 10 errors in the affair.

In the top of the third, Karlee Wallace and Jhalayah Tillman both singled to start the frame, and the duo scored on Port Gibson errors to push the Lady Dawgs out to a 2-0 lead.

Sadye Scott was hit by a pitch and Greyonne Queen drew a walk before Marlee Tindle reached on an error, which also green lighted Scott to put across FC’s third run.

From there, Indayshia Morgan reached on a Lady Blue Waves’ error to load the bases and Katherine Romero was hit by a pitch to push Queen in for a fourth run.

Tindle would also score on a Port Gibson wild pitch for a 5-0 advantage.

Amberly Wallace blasted a double that scored Morgan and Romero, and Marianna Thomas and Karlee Wallace followed with back-to-back singles that plated Jessany Harness — Amberly Wallace’s courtesy runner — and Thomas for the 9-0 lead.

The top of the fourth saw Morgan and Romero draw walks and a sacrifice bunt by Lauren McCaa scored Morgan for a 10-1 score.

Thomas was hit by a pitch and Karlee Wallace reached on an error with the miscue also allowing Romero to come home for her team’s 11th run.

Tillman blasted a triple that brought Thomas and Karlee Wallace in with Scott then hitting into a fielder’s choice, which resulted in Tillman plating FC’s 14th run.

From that point, Queen reached on an error and Tindle collected a single, which brought Scott home.

Morgan grounded out to first allowing Queen to come home, and Romero drew a walk.

Tindle would score on another Port Gibson wild pitch and McCaa advanced after reaching on an error that permitted Romero for Franklin County’s 18th run.

Tillman and Scott split two innings of work each from the pitching circle with the former facing 12 batters and the latter squaring off against five.

Tillman gave up one run on one hit, walked two and struck out one. Her pitch-to-strike ratio was 40-17 (42.5 percent).

Scott sent two Port Gibson batters down on strikes and surrendered no hits. In terms of pitches-to-strikes, she was 20-14 (70 percent).

FC 22, HAZLEHURST 0

The Lady Bulldogs collected 16 runs in the bottom of the first and six more in the second to hand the Lady Indians a 22-0 loss in the second game of a double-header on Tuesday, March 21.

Franklin County recorded five hits in the affair and no errors while Hazlehurst was limited to just one hit and had 10 errors.

Tillman set the tempo for the Lady Dawgs thanks to a 2-of-2 plate performance that resulted in a single and a double with three runs scored. She also drew a walk.

Amberly Wallace was 1-of-1 with a single, two runs scored and a walk.

FC’s Tindle went 1-of-2 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI, and Karlee Wallace was 1-of-3 with a single, one run plated and two RBI.

While the remainder of the line-up failed to collect a hit, the squad made its presence felt as Queen scored three runs with an RBI and two walk; and Scott, McCaa and Sophie Miller all scored two runs apiece.

Miller walked twice while Scott and McCaa drew one each.

Other Lady Dawgs contributing to the win were: Jessany Harness, one run and one walk; Morgan, one run and one RBI; Kaylee Richardson, one run and one walk; Malia Humphrey, one run; and Katlyn Carter, one run.

Tillman worked three innings as pitcher and faced 12 batters during her appearance.

She and the FC defense held Hazlehurst to only one hit with two walks issued and five strike outs.

Tillman’s pitch-to-strike ratio was 37-21 (56.7 percent).

FC 16, HAZLEHURST 0

In the early part of last Tuesday’s double-header, the Lady Bulldogs made the most of their opportunities and rolled to a 16-0 victory at home.

FC scored three runs in the bottom of the first, and put the game away with a 13-0 blast in the second inning.

The Lady Dawgs pounded out five hits with no errors and the Lady Indians were stymied as Scott tossed a three-inning no hitter.

In fact, Scott faced nine batters and struck out all of them in the game and had a 38-28 pitch-to-strike ratio (73.7 percent).

Scott was solid with a 2-of-2 at-bat effort that included a single and a triple with three runs scored.

Tillman went 2-of-3 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and two RBI.

Amberly Wallace was 1-of-1 with a single, two runs scored and a walk.

Karlee Wallace, despite going 0-of-1 in terms of hitting, walked twice and scored three runs for the Lady Bulldogs.

Thomas, who was 0-of-2, scored twice and was issued a pair of walks.

Romero, who was 0-of-1, ended her effort with two walks and a run scored while Morgan and Tindle both plated one run each.

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UPCOMING GAMES

Franklin County’s varsity softball team is scheduled to play on Saturday, April 1 in a tournament hosted by West Lincoln.

On Monday, April 3, the Lady Dawgs will travel to Lawrence County, and are slated to return home on Monday, April 10 to face off against Tylertown.

FC will battle Wesson on the road on Thursday, April 13 and will play host to Brookhaven on Friday, April 14.