The Trenton Lady Bulldogs and Putnam County Lady Midgets locked horns in a pitchers duel for five innings on Tuesday night, as Emma Roberts and Allise Perkins had their teams even at 1-1, giving up only a combined total of five hits.
In the Grand River Conference opener from Unionville, Trenton had a four-run uprising in the top of the sixth inning, started by a leadoff triple from Mirena King, and won 5-1 in action broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7.
Coming off of Monday night’s season-opening victory over Albany, Lady Bulldog coach Madi Stillwell had a pitching decision to make for the conference opener. Noting that Roberts had prior success against the Lady Midgets lineup, Stillwell went with the senior right-hander, shifting junior lefty Avery Clark into center field. Not only did Roberts get the victory from the circle, Clark played a superb outfield defensively, with three separate fantastic back-handed catches contributing to the win.
Coach Stillwell expressed her pride in the efforts of Roberts from the circle for THS:
The Bulldogs opened the scoring in the first inning, as a two-base fielding error by Putnam County put King on second base, with a double by Jena Harris giving Trenton the lead. Putnam County used small ball and a break to tie the game in the second, as Avery Gilworth had a leadoff single, was moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout, with a Roberts wild pitch scoring her.
The decisive sixth inning saw King triple on the second pitch of the inning, with Harris following with a grounder to third. King scored on the play, with strategic running causing the throw to first base to arrive late, allowing Harris to reach. Madi Moore bunted Harris to second base, with Kenzie Lynch cracking a grounder to short. Harris raced for third base and beat a throw that rolled toward the Putnam County dugout. Harris raced home with the insurance run.
The inning continued with a Roberts bouncer to the pitcher moving Lynch to third. An Avery Clark triple scored Lynch, with a Jena Hunter single scoring Clark.
Stillwell reflected on the success of the decision involving Roberts and Clark:
Trenton returns home on Thursday night to host the Maysville Wolverines at 5:30, with Putnam County playing host to Schuyler County Thursday at 5:30.
Here is the area high school softball scoreboard for Tuesday, August 29, 2023:
Gallatin 14, Milan 2
South Harrison 6, Polo 1
Stanberry 9, Albany 8
Princeton 12, King City 2
Pattonsburg 16, North Harrison 6
North Andrew 5, Worth County 4
Bucklin/Macon County 10, Madison 7
Higbee 22, Linn County 5
Moberly 6, Marceline 5
Brookfield 11, Penney 7
Gilman City 17, Tri-County 2
East Harrison 15, Mercer 11
Lathrop 7, Maryville 6
Braymer 15, Hale 0
Lawson 15, Richmond 0
Chillicothe 21, East Buchanan 6
Plattsburg 13, Summit Christian Academy 3
