Murphy scores 43 runs in 2 games
In-county rivals faced off last week and Murphy’s softball team got their bats going early and often in route to scoring 43 runs across their two meetings.
The Lady Bulldogs and Wildcats met first in Andrews on April 15 and Murphy got the 25-5 win in six innings. The Lady Wildcats scored fought off Murphy’s large lead to extend the game, but the Lady Bulldogs just piled on more runs late in the contest.
On 22 hits, the Lady Dogs scored 25 runs and Andrews scored five runs on seven hits.
The Lady Dogs opened the game with 11 runs in the first inning. The Lady Wildcats then got on the board to make it a 10-run game.
In the top of the second, Murphy added two more runs to extend their lead. Facing a three-inning game, the Lady Wildcats fought back to extend the game.
Down by 12 runs, the Lady Wildcats got their bats going in the bottom of the third inning.
Alexis Beasley kicked it off with a single, then she stole second to get into scoring position. Azlyn DeHart was then walked then stole second after Beasley took third for two runners in scoring position. Maleia Egan was then walked to load the bases.
Lauren Cochran was hit by a pitch to bring home Beasley for their first run of the inning. Rileigh LeQuire then singled and DeHart was caught out at home.
With the bases still loaded, Kylie Donaldson three-RBI triple to make it an eight-run game.
Despite fighting back to extend the game, Murphy added one run in the fifth inning and capped off the game with 11 runs in the sixth to lead 25-5 where the game ended.
Paisley Johnson and Emma Hensley had a strong game at the plate for the Lady Dogs. Johnson went 4/5 with three RBI, a double and a home run. Hensley went 3/4, scored four runs, had a double and a RBI.
On the mound, Johnson gave up two runs on seven hits and struck out 12 batters.
For Andrews, Donaldson went 2/2 with three RBI. Chanteah Rattler and Beasley went 3/4 and both scored a run each.
They met again Thursday in Murphy, and it was a similar story. The Lady Dogs got the win 18-0 in a game that lasted three innings.
Johnson and Gracie Thrasher shared pitching duties again in Thursday’s game. Johnson pitched two innings and only gave up one hit and got three strikeouts in the seven Lady Wildcat batters she faced.
Thrasher closed out the game on the mound and struck out two of the three batters she faced in her no-hit performance.
Murphy’s pitchers combined for 36 pitches in three innings en route to helping the Dogs get the win.
It was a long first inning for Andrews as Murphy got their bats going early in the game. The Lady Dogs scored six runs before they recorded their first out. Hensley, Emma Laney, Piper Dalton, Julia Dockery, Codie Burnette and Aa’Liyah Grant crossed home plate before the first out.
The Lady Dogs added on seven more before the inning was over. In the second inning, they tacked on five more runs. After a three up and three down top of the third, Murphy won the game 18-0 to sweep Andrews.
Grant, Laney, Dockery and Dalton scored three runs each. The Lady Dogs had seven extra base hits with six doubles and a triple.
The Lady Wildcats’ two hits came from Donaldson and Kaiya Ellis.
At 4:30 p.m. Friday, the Lady Dogs will travel to Hiwassee Dam to wrap up their series with in-county rivals. At 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, they will travel to Hayesville to take on the Lady Yellow Jackets in their final series of the season.
Andrews will take on Hayesville at 4:30 p.m. Thursday on the road. They will then travel to Hiwassee Dam to face in-county rivals at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to kick off their last series of the season.