Tri-State Showcase: Cole delivers again for Lady Lions; Lady Rams defeat Nitro, fall to Cabell Midland

Apr. 18—RACELAND — Emily Cole was not in a giving mood this weekend.

The Lewis County hurler threw a no-hitter against Harrison County in a win on Friday night.

Less than 24 hours later, Cole allowed just one hit to Ironton at the Raceland Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon.

The Lady Lions supplied her with a five-run sixth inning and the pitcher closed out the contest with a pair of strikeouts for an 8-1 win over the Lady Tigers in the Tri-State Showcase.

"To come back out after last night and back it up, it speaks volumes about her ability and the ability to refocus on back-to-back days like that," Lewis County coach Joe Hampton said. "We feel like we have a chance every time she is in the circle. She is a special player."

"She does it on both sides of the ball," he added. "She has been hitting the ball well the last couple of games."

Cole collected 14 punchouts in total and sent down six straight batters on strikes in the middle innings. She helped herself out with an RBI single in the opening frame to continue her impressive run at the plate. Cole blasted two home runs the night before.

"She made the comment that she was a little bit nervous before we started," Hampton said, "because we were going up against a very good opponent. I think getting that 3-0 lead in the first inning really settled her down. (Ironton's) first batter got a hit off of her and they didn't get one after that."

Ironton's leadoff hitter recorded a single and made it to third. The Lady Tigers scored their tally on a three-base error and a wild pitch in the second stanza.

The Lady Lions produced two more runs after Cole's hit with a pair of Ironton miscues.

"We made a few changes that had to be done starting out," Ironton coach James Dyer said. "We are still trying to find our identity. We are real young. We are struggling to find ourselves. We had a freshman pitch the entire game. She did a fine job facing off against one of the top pitchers in Kentucky."

Neither team dented the scoreboard over the next three frames. Hampton still felt his team was producing good swings.

"Even in between there when we weren't producing, we were hitting the ball pretty good," Hampton said. "It was right at people and that will happen. We keep the girls' heads up. They were getting good shots there and they will fall. Good things will happen when you put the bat on the ball."

Dyer thought his freshman pitcher settled down after the first inning. Braylin Wallace allowed just one hit between the second and fifth stanzas.

"The nerves got to her in the first inning," Dyer said. "She grew up a lot in that inning. You can't ask nothing more out of a freshman. She went the distance. We reassured her to keep doing what you do, don't try to overdo it and stay within your means."

The sticks showed up for Lewis County (8-1) in their final at-bat. The Lady Lions scored all five runs in the sixth inning with two outs.

Pinch-hitter Natalie Stone reached base on an error. After a base on balls. Kayla Sullivan smoked a three-run homer over the center field fence. Alanna Puente added an RBI single, and Lewis County produced another after an Ironton outfielder misplayed a hit and the ball scooted to the fence.

"She is a great hitter and works at it daily," Hampton said of Sullivan. "She has struggled a bit by her own standards. She really sets the bar high for herself. It was good to see her get that big home run. She hadn't had one this year. She is a great competitor and works extremely hard."

Sullivan was 2 for 4 with three RBIs and she scored twice. Cole finished 2 for 2 at the plate.

IRONTON 010 000 0 — 1 1 5

LEWIS CO. 300 005 x — 8 7 2

Wallace and Brammer. Cole and Tackett. W—Cole. L—Wallace. 2B—Sullivan (LC). HR—Sullivan (LC).

C. Midland 9

Raceland 6

Raceland ran out of answers against Cabell Midland on Saturday morning. A four-run sixth inning propelled the Knights to a victory.

Cabell Midland tallied in the first, third and fifth innings only to have the Lady Rams reciprocate that feat in the home half to keep tying the score.

The sixth frame was a different story.

Madi Meadows snared a double with two outs in the inning. Syndi Burko followed with a run-scoring single. Olivia Pelfrey picked up her fourth RBI of the contest with a bases-loaded walk. Simone Blanks blasted a double of the right-center field wall to bring home two more.

"We have hit the ball pretty good," Cabell Midland coach Herman Beckett said. "Raceland's pitcher (Raegan West) kept us off balanced. Rielly Lucas has been hitting the ball really good. She has four home runs now. Our catcher, Olivia Pelfrey, has done a great job calling pitches because our pitcher, Quinn Ballengee, is just a freshman."

Raceland coach Robbie West produced a stellar slate this season for the Lady Rams. Every contest against a tough opponent is a chance to grow as the team prepares for the state All "A" Classic in Owensboro next weekend.

"We knew what Cabell Midland is all about," Robbie West said. "We knew that they would hit the ball. We can hit the ball so what it came down to was limiting the mistakes. We had a couple of critical mistakes, but we will learn from it and get better."

Lucas belted a two-run homer that allowed Cabell Midland (5-0) to grab an early lead in the opening frame. Raceland catcher Shalyn West brought her team even in the bottom of the inning with a double into the gap in left-center field.

Pelfrey's RBI single in the third stanza was matched by Cam Davidson's run-scoring hit in Raceland's turn at-bat.

Pelfrey drove in two more with a base hit in the fifth. The Lady Rams knotted the score once more with a Knights error. Kierston Smith doubled and later crossed home plate on Shalyn West's squeeze play.

"We are going to hit top to bottom (in our lineup)," Robbie West said. "With the caliber of pitching that we have been seeing since the beginning of the season, our swings are getting better. The kids are seeing it well."

"I will play small ball," he added on Shalyn West's squeeze play. "I'll do whatever it takes to score a run. There are situations where that is called for. You have to manufacture runs. We will not be able to outhit everybody. All the girls know they have jobs to do when they step to the plate."

Raceland (9-4) loaded the bases in the sixth as it tried to mount another rally. The first four batters reached base. Smith collected an RBI single but Ballengee retired the next three hitters in order and didn't allow a hit in the Lady Rams final at-bat.

Beckett said Ballengee showed her toughness in the late innings even after a softball ricocheted off her shin earlier in the game.

"She did a great job," Beckett said. "All our players are just like Raceland. They have played ball for 100 years. It is paying off for both teams. Raceland hung tough. We would get ahead, and they would come right back. We are really proud of what we are doing right now."

West said his pitcher, Raegan West, could be feeling the effects of an increased workload as Davidson returns to form after battling an injury.

Raegan West had plenty left in the tank to secure a win in the Lady Rams second game of the day against Nitro, West Virginia. She also homered in the victory.

Chloe Collins went 3 for 4 at the plate for the Lady Rams against the Knights and scored twice. Davidson tallied three hits. Shalyn West was 2 for 4 with three RBIs.

(606) 326-2654 — msparks@dailyindependent.com

C. MIDLAND 201 024 0 — 9 13 2

RACELAND 201 021 0 — 6 13 2

Ballengee and Pelfrey. R. West and S. West. W—Ballengee. L—R. West. 2B—Meadows (CM) Lucas (CM), Blanks (CM), Collins (R), Smith (R), S. West (R). HR—Lucas (CM).