Photo 📷 Credit – Kelly Hawks
Laiken Burnett stretching for a throw to first base.
Floyd – When it comes to both respectful and fierce rivalries Carroll County and Floyd County Softball would make any list and the latest meeting did not disappoint. The Lady Cavs held on for a Three Rivers District victory over their hosts Thursday night, 3-2.
The victory moved CCHS to 13-1 overall and 6-1 in district play, leaving the team in control of their own destiny.
The teams traded scoreless innings until the home half of the third inning when number nine hitter Addison Hilton lined a Home Run that barely cleared the fence in left centerfield. It was the first base hit allowed by Emma Leath (13-1) and the Senior closed out the inning without any further damage.
Floyd County starting pitcher Emma Biesterveld held the Cavalier line up in check her first time through, allowing just an infield single to Holly Miller. The second looks proved to be the difference as Emma Harman led off the fourth inning with a single and Katherine Lindamood reached on a hit batter, leading Coach Rick Nester to play his beloved “small ball “. Natalie Burress advanced the runners with a ground out and Laiken Burnett reached on a fielders choice when the Lady Buffaloes elected to throw home on her ground ball but Harman beat the throw to the plate to tie the score at 1-1. Brooke Webb picked up the second RBI as her sacrifice bunt plated Lindamood. The rally continued when FCHS committed their lone error on the ground ball and Miller collected the final RBI with her second single.
The three run rally took place with eight Cavaliers coming to the plate and only two balls making it to the outfield grass.
” Anytime that we play Floyd, it is always a game where 1 pitch can make the difference in who wins and loses,” said Nester.
“Tonight there were multiple times that came into play. Floyd goes up 1-0 and then we come back fighting and put the ball in play and got bunts down, scored 3 runs and went up 3-1. Floyd comes back in the 7th with 1 out and then Emma retires the next 2 batters. Victory! The girls did an outstanding job against a quality team.”
Leading 3-1, the Cavaliers still needed to record 12 more outs and Floyd County showed no signs of retreat. In the bottom of the fourth Leath was facing two runners in scoring position with just one out but closed out the potential rally with one of her eight strikeouts and a fly ball to centerfield that Miller tracked down.
Floyd County scratched out their second run in the bottom of the six inning when Kiley Hylton beat out an infield single and Winslet Vassar connected for her second consecutive double. Leath kept the score at 3-2 by getting a pop out to Addie Greene at short stop.
Miller collected three of the seven hits the Lady Cavaliers finished the contest with while Vassar was the only Lady Buffaloe to finish with multiple hits on a night when Leath limited them to just five.
Carroll County remains on the road next Tuesday night at James River. The Knights are the lone remaining team of the 10 CCHS opponents that they have yet to face after the initial contest was postponed due to weather conditions.
A.S.P.N on The Hill 