The Grayson County softball team swept a home doubleheader against Russellville on Thursday afternoon.
The Lady Cougars run-ruled the first game 13-3 and walked-off a 16-15 win in the second.
GAME ONE
Clearly, someone did not let Mother Nature know that it was spring break because the temperature was below 40 with the wind chill. That cold weather did not slow down the offense in either game for the Lady Cougars.
Russellville took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning on a RBI single and a sacrifice fly.
After Annslee Shartzer lined out to the pitcher to start the Lady Cougar attack, seven straight players reached base to jump ahead 5-2.
Breigh Jones stepped into the box and watched a first-pitch ball. On the play, Elizabeth Haycraft, who was standing on first, stole second forcing a throw from the Lady Panthers. This allowed Hannah Franklin to scurry home to add to the lead.
Jones would proceed to fly out to right center field after a diving play by Russellville. The diving catch allowed Haycraft to score from second and make it a five-run advantage.
Shartzer got her second chance of the inning and made the most of it with a towering home run down the right-field line to make it 8-2.
Grayson County would add to the lead again in the fifth after Shartzer was hit by a pitch and Kinsley Chambers had a two-run single.
Leading by nine entering the sixth, the Lady Cougars needed just one run to reach the mercy rule. After Layla Lacefield and Jacie Alexander reached base, Franklin hit a hard ground ball through the right side to clinch the 13-3 win.
GAME TWO
The offense continued for the second game as Grayson County picked up a 16-15 thrilling victory.
Russellville started in a hurry with back-to-back home runs in the first to jump ahead 4-0.
Grayson County immediately tied the game by batting around in the first.
After the game was tied 6-6 in the bottom of the third, Hannah Franklin cleared the bases on a single to the right side to put the Lady Cougars up 9-6.
The 4th inning saw more runs added for Grayson County after RBIs from Payton Bowman, Jacie Alexander, Elizabeth Haycraft, and Franklin to make it 15-8.
However, the lead was not safe.
Russellville scored three in the fifth, one in the sixth, and three in the seventh to tie the game 15-15 heading to the final frame.
Grayson County got the first two batters on via a hit-by-pitch and a walk.
A fielder’s choice and a fly-out brought the game to a turning point.
Two down, two on, tie game, in the bottom of the seventh. A moment that anyone who has played the game dreams of.
Sophomore Layla Lacefield laced a double into center field to send the cold crowd home happy and push the Lady Cougars to a 16-15 win.
SB: Grayson County 16 Russellville 15 | FINAL
WALK IT OFF LADY COUGARS! Layla Lacefield lines a double to score Kinsley Chambers and push GC to a doubleheader sweep. pic.twitter.com/mGOKjBG2YE
— Cougar Sports on K105 (@K105sports) April 4, 2024
With the pair of victories, the Lady Cougars improved to 6-7 on the season.
They are scheduled to travel to North Hardin on Saturday and Glasgow on Monday before returning home on Tuesday against Warren Central.
By Sam Gormley, Play-By-Play Announcer/Local Sports
Reach Sam at sam@k105.com
(Headline Photo: Annslee Shartzer celebrates her game one home run)
