Middlesboro’s 9- and 10-year-old team came close to pulling out a win over South London Wednesday before dropping a 7-6 decision in the District 4 tournament at Leslie County.
Middlesboro batted first and wasted little time in putting together a scoring threat. Kadi Cordell and Stevie Shepherd both walked to start the game.
They advanced around the bases on a combination of wild pitches and passed balls and both scored to give Middlesboro a 2-0 lead.
Bee Poe also drew a walk with two outs in the first inning but was left stranded at third base.
South tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a bunt hit and a pair of Middlesboro errors.
South London scored four more in the second inning on four hits and two walks to take a 6-2 lead.
But Middlesboro didn’t go away.
Cordell started off the top of the third with a walk and stole second. She went to third on a wild pitch and Laura Durham also drew a walk with one out.
Cordell scored and Durham advanced to second on an error. Durham would later steal third and score on a wild pitch to bring Middlesboro within 6-4.
Pitcher Stevie Shepherd kept South off the board in the bottom of the third and Middlesboro made it a one-run game in the fourth.
Anajae Stephney walked, took second on a wild pitch and came around to score on Malorie Carter’s base hit to cut the lead to 6-5.
Brooklyn Foister and Cordell both walked later in the inning, but Carter was thrown out at home trying to score the tying run.
South London added a run in the bottom of the inning on one hit and one Middlesboro error to take a 7-5 lead into the fifth.
Durham opened the fifth with a walk and advanced all the way around to third on Lauren Spurlock’s sacrifice and an error. Durham scored on a passed ball with two outs to bring Middlesboro to within 7-6.
Shepherd retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning, but Middlesboro could get only a walk from Carter in the sixth as South held on for the 7-6 win.
Shepherd pitched well in the loss as she allowed just four earned runs on seven hits over five innings. She struck out five and walked two.
Carter’s RBI single was Middlesboro’s only hit in the game, but they drew ten walks.
South advances to play North Laurel Saturday at 5 p.m. in the winners’ bracket final while Middlesboro will return to action Friday at 8 p.m. in an elimination game against the winner of tonight’s Leslie County-Clay County game.
North Laurel defeated Tri-City 19-1 in Wednesday’s other game.
The tournament is being played at Lelsie County High School.
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