Fielding mistakes and pitching issues were too much for the Hopkinsville Lady Tigers to overcome Monday evening. McLean County scored a key insurance run in the top of the 6th and then held off the Lady Tigers in the bottom of the 6th and again in the bottom of the 7th to pick up a 4-3 win.
The Lady Tigers committed three errors in the field and gave up a total of seven walks in the circle over the course of the seven innings. All four of the McLean County runs were tied to either a walk or an error, or both.
The Lady Cougars got out to an early 1-0 lead. Hopinsville came back to tie the game up at 1-1 in the bottom of the 4th inning when Nadia Clayton blasted one to left field.
McLean County took the lead for good in the top of the 5th inning, using two walks and a Hopkinsville error to score two runs and take a 3-1 lead. In the top of the 6th, the Lady Cougars got an insurance run that would turn out to be the difference in the game. After another Lady Tiger error, McLean County extended the lead to 4-1 on an RBI single.
Hopkinsville made a big push to get back in the game in the bottom of the 6th. Sebrina Hodge and Nadia Clayton led off the inning with back to back doubles. That was followed by an RBI single from Shaniya Straight to cut the lead to 4-3. After a hit batter, the Lady Tigers had runners on first and second with no outs, but McLean County was able to get out of the inning without any further damage.
Hopkinsville would get the tying run on base with a two out single from Sebrina Hodge in the seventh, but could not finish out a two out rally.
Nadia Clayton went 2-4 for the Lady Tigers, with a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Sebrina Hodge was 3-4, with a double, and a run scored. Shaniya Straight ended up 2-3, with a double, and an RBI.
Marley Hancock took the loss for Hopkinsville, going seven innings, giving up four runs, three of them earned, on three hits, striking out ten and walking seven.
