EAST PINEVILLE — The young Bell County softball team was very competetive in their two games Friday in the Lady Cat Classic. They lost 3-2 to Whitley County and 7-2 to Johnson Central.

“With the combination of the weather keeping us from doing things and having so many new players I feel like we’re about two weeks behind where we need to be,” said coach Jeff Brock. “Hopefully with this tournament and the one at Washington County next week we can get caught up during spring break.”

In their first game, Bell took a 2-0 lead in the third inning against Whitley County.

Meredith Bowling drew a lead off walk and Jenny Rose followed with a double to center that put runners on second and third. Tiffanie Oliver and Brooke Howard hit back-to-back RBI grounders to bring them home.

It was still 2-0 when Whitley put together a rally in the bottom of the fourth.

Simbree Sizemore reached on an error, Daniel Lindsay singled and April Lindsay reached on an error to load the bases. Natalie Perkins had an RBI ground out to score Sizemore and Lennon singled bring home Lindsay and tie the game at two. One out later, the third Lady Cat error of the inning let Whtley take a 3-2 lead.

Bell left two runners on in the fifth and loaded the bases inthe sixth with one out. Lady Colonel pitcher Caitlyn Walden got Rose to hit a come-backer for a force out at the plate. Then Bowling was called out for interference after running into the Whitley shortstop on Oliver’s ground ball.

Freshman Jamie Collins took the loss. She scattered seven hits over six innings and none of the runs she allowed were earned. She struck out two without walking a batter.

“Jamie Collins pitched really well and kept us in the game. We hit the ball well,” Brock said. “You never want to be pleased with a loss, but I was happy with the way we played. I thought we matched up pretty well against them.”

Against Johnson Central, the Lady Cats also jumped on top early.

Oliver led off the game by reaching on an error. She scored on a double by Howard and Kacy Denny followed with an RBI single for a 2-0 Bell lead.

But that’s all the runs they would score. Oliver singled in the second, Bowling singled in the fourth and Denny singled in the fifth for the other Bell hits.

Johnson Central scored once in the second, twice in the third and once in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead. They put the game away with a three-run fifth inning. Two outfield errors led to four of the runs.

Haley Gent took the loss for Bell. She allowed seven hits and four earned runs over five innings with four strikeouts and two walks.

“I think this may have been Haley’s first varsity outing period,” said Brock. “She started leaving some balls up a little bit late in the game, but overall she did a good job.”

The Lady Cats (1-2) will face Middlesboro at 1:30 p.m. today in an elimination game.

“We played two good games with solid competition. Our youth hurt us a little bit, but at the same time Jamie and Haley pitched pretty well,” Brock said. “We’ve got a long way to go, but there’s so much potential with this group.”

— — —

Game 1

Bell County 002 000 — 2 4 3

Whitley County 000 300 — 3 7 2

Collins and Brock; Walden and ALindsay. W — Walden. L — Collins.

Game 2

Bell County 200 000 — 2 5 2

Johnson Central 012 13x — 7 7 4

Gent and Brock; Williams and Conley. W — Conley. L — Gent.