Three outs away from its seventh straight loss, the Hopkins County Central High School softball team rallied furiously for seven runs in its final at-bat and found a way to earn a 12-11 walk-off win Monday over University Heights Academy.
The Lady Storm, who hadn’t won a game in the month of May, trailed 11-5 in the seventh inning and appeared on the brink of extending their losing streak, but HCC proceeded to load the bases on an error and two walks, en route to the incredible comeback in Mortons Gap.
Hopkins Central never recorded an out in the bottom of the seventh inning, getting runs off three walks and two batters hit by a pitch to pull within 11-10 of UHA. Senior Emmaleigh Cook then ended the game with a two-run hit on a pop fly to center field, sending the Blazers to their seventh loss in 12 games.
Heights, which took advantage of seven Storm errors, scored three times — all unearned — in the top of the first inning to jump ahead early. After Hopkins County Central (6-16) countered with three runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning, UHA went up again in third, taking a 6-3 advantage when Brianna Daniel delivered a two-out, two-run double, and another runner scored on a steal of home.
The Blazers even found themselves leading 9-3 in the fifth inning and 11-5 in the sixth, but couldn’t put their opponent away as a result of 14 issued walks by UHA pitching. Regan Pollard, who had a solid night at the plate, struggled in the circle. She gave up six walks and five runs in less than an inning of work. Mallory Ladd took the loss, giving up eight walks, three hits, and seven runs (four earned) in 5 2/3 innings of work.
Pollard (3-for-3, three runs, two RBIs), Daniel (1-for-4, three RBIs, run) and Jaila Batey (1-for-3, three runs, walk, triple) were the offensive leaders for the Blazers in defeat. The Storm was led by Keira Bryan (2-for-2, three walks, three RBIs, triple), Aly McCord (three runs, two walks), and Amelia Johnson (1-for-3, two runs, RBI) at home. Bryan (2-9) also earned the victory in relief, striking out four and scattering three hits in 2 1/3 innings.
University Heights (5-7) returns home for the first time since April 20 when the Blazers host Livingston Central (14-5) at 6 p.m. on May 18.
