BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — Martin County took to the diamond Tuesday evening to host East Ridge. Zoie Hinkle threw a no-hitter in a dominating performance that helped her team thump the Warriors 10-0.

The Lady Cardinals were spectacular on both sides of the ball allowing no hits and racking up 11 on their end. Their defense wasn’t on the field much for the evening as they cleaned up anything that left the batter’s box.

MC jumped on the scoreboard quickly after a single from Skyla Messer saw her fellow senior Brittany Thompson score. Hannah Stacy added another one-bagger to advance Messer. Hinkle got in on the action with a grounder that scored two. Eighth-grader Bella Muncy and Brynnalyn Smith each singled to add two more runs and end the first 4-0.

Another eighth-grader, Sophie Harless would come in as a pinch-runner in the second. Another Smith single sent Harless home for a 5-0 score.

The fourth inning was disaster for East Ridge. After Addison Duncan scored a run, a series of events extended the lead for the Cards. The Warriors sent a wild pitch into the fence and Bailey Dials ran for home. Thompson and Messer advanced to second and third on that same pitch. Stacy grounded to center, and runners came in for a score of 9-0.

Hinkle continued her reign and the defense continued sending batters back to the dugout early. The nail in the coffin was in the bottom of the fifth. Harless was sitting on first when Smith slapped a double to center field. Harless scored to end the game for a 10-0 win.

Hinkle threw 39 strikes in her no-hitter. She added a hit and drove in two runs on offense. Smith was 3-4 with three RBIs and Stacy hit 2-4 with two RBIs.