BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

Class A No. 4 Tug Valley went 3-0 in a strong early-week stretch. The Lady Panthers routed Huntington St. Joe 23-1 on April 6 in Huntington, then beat county rival Mingo Central 3-1 on Bailee Hall’s walk-off two-run homer April 7 in Naugatuck and blanked regional rival Man 2-0 on April 8 in Logan County.

The Lady Panthers rolled over Huntington St. Joe Irish 23-1 on April 6 at George T. Smailes Sr. Field at the YMCA Kennedy Center complex in Huntington.

Tug Valley smacked 21 hits in the win.

The Lady Panthers scored 11 runs on seven hits in the top of the third inning to take a commanding lead and mercy rule over the Irish after three innings.

Tug Valley scored six runs in the top of the first inning and led 6-1 after one frame. The Lady Panthers tacked on six more runs in the second to take a 12-1 lead over the Irish (1-4).

Paisley Bolyard and Gracie Hynd each went 4 for 4 at the plate to lead Tug Valley. Hynd clubbed a pair of doubles and drove in four runs. Bolyard had four singles and one RBI.

Lady Panthers pitcher Bailee Hall was 3 for 4 at the plate with a home run, two doubles and three RBIs. She now has five round-trippers on the season.

Bryleigh Fletcher was also 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs.

Katie Hall went 2 for 3 with a double, a triple and one run batted in, while Emma Lackey was 2 for 4 with a double and three RBIs. Caylee Steele went 2 for 3 at the plate with two RBIS. Payton Workman added a hit and two RBIs for TVHS. Zoey Hensley added a pair of RBIs.

Bailee Hall pitched a complete game for her coach and father, Rocky Hall and the Lady Panthers. She only allowed one earned run on two hits with five strikeouts and four walks.

In an April 7 home game, Tug Valley senior All-Stater Bailee Hall smacked a walk-off, game-winning, two-run homer over the left field fence in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Lady Panthers a 3-1 win over Mingo Central.

The Lady Panthers improved to 9-3 with the victory over their county rival. The Lady Miners dropped to 3-5 on the season.

Emma Lackey, a flame-throwing sophomore, earned the win for Tug Valley in the circle. The hurler gave up just one hit and one run (zero earned) over seven innings, striking out 14 and not walking any MCHS batters.

Aubrey Plummer took the loss for Mingo Central. The starter went 6 1/3, surrendering three runs on seven hits, striking out 11 and walking one.

Hall led the Lady Panthers with two runs batted in. The leadoff hitter went 3-for-4 on the day.

Lackey had a hit and drew a walk. She also stole two bases and scored a run to help her own cause.

Paisley Bolyard, Gracie Hynd and Makayle Bryant also had hits for TVHS.

Camryn Akers got the one hit in two at-bats for the Lady Miners.

The following day, April 8, Lady Panthers infielder Katie Hall ripped a two-run home run, which proved to be all the runs in the game as Tug Valley beat regional rival Man in Logan County.

Tug Valley improved to 10-3 on the season and swept the regular season series with Man.

The game was scoreless through three innings before Hall’s two-run homer.

Emma Lackey tossed a complete-game one-hitter for Tug Valley. She struck out nine and walked two over seven innings.

Tug Valley was held to three hits as Bailee Hall and Makayle Bryant both singled.

Mia Johnson went the distance on the mound for Man, allowing two with six strikeouts and no walks.

Alliyah Smith had the only hit of the game for the Lady Billies.

Tug Valley is scheduled to play several games this week, including a weekend event at Capital High in Charleston.