BY BOO NEWSOME
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County hosted the 15th Region Softball All-A Classic and fell to Paintsville 6-0 in the opening round April 4.
Sophomore pitcher Zoie Hinkle took the loss.
Laney Bledsoe started in the circle for the Paintsville Tigers for the win.
Both teams went three up and three down in the first inning.
The Lady Cardinals ran into trouble in the second. Ashley Wells of Paintsville started the inning with a walk. Maggie Music’s pop-up to center fell in for a hit to runners on first and second with no outs. Molly Music laid down a bunt to load the bases. Kira Ratliff took ball four for a base on balls to walk in the first run for the Tigers. A pitch hit Chessa Collins to bring home the second run and move Paintsville up 2-0.
A pitch hit Hannah Stacy to start the bottom of the second. Stacy advanced to second on a wild pitch and took third on a dropped ball by the catcher. Brynnalyn Smith took ball four to draw a walk and advanced to second on a steal. The Lady Cards had runners on second and third, but Bledsoe recorded two strikeouts to end the inning.
Paintsville struck again in the top of the third with a two-out dinger over the left-center field fence by Maggie Music to put the Tigers up 3-0. Molly Music got on with a shot to left field and Ratliff hit a line drive to right field to bring home Music and put the Tigers up 4-0.
Bella Muncy hit a hard line shot to third for a single to start things off in the third inning for the Lady Cards. Muncy stole second and advanced to third on a pitched passed ball, but Paintsville shut the door once again with two strikeouts to end the inning.
Paintsville added another run in the top of the fourth to go up 5-0. Kelsey Nusspickel knocked a single to left field and advanced to second on an error. Nusspickel advanced to third on a wild pitch. Bledsoe hit a line shot to right field to score Nusspickel to move Paintsville ahead 5-0.
Paintsville struck again in the top of the sixth with singles by Nusspickel and Collins and a wild throw to score a run and push the score to 6-0.
Senior Savanah Young started the sixth inning with a single up the middle to center field. This was the second hit of the game for the Lady Cards. Young stole second and moved to third on a pitched pass ball. Paintsville turned a double play and a strikeout to end the rally.
Both teams went three up and three down in the seventh as Paintsville completed the shutout to advance to the semifinals.
Bledsoe struck out nine batters and gave up two hits and two walks.
Hinkle went four innings for the Lady Cards, giving up five runs on five hits, two walks and two strikeouts.
Young came in to relieve Hinkle in the top of the fifth inning. She gave up one run on two hits and recorded three strikeouts.
Muncy, Young and Brynnalyn Smith each recorded a single for the Lady Cards.
Young, Muncy and Lena Hale each had two stolen bases and Smith and Zoey Mollett each had one.
SCORE BY INNINGS: R-H-E
Tigers..(1-10)…022 101 0 – 6-7-0
MC…. (3 – 2)….000 000 0 – 0-3-3