COVINGTON, VA – Kayla Bartley’s three-run home run in the first inning set the tone of the Pioneer District softball championship game as the Covington Lady Cougars captured the district tournament title following a 9-1 victory over rival Parry McCluer.
It was a big-time performance from Bartley both offensively and defensively. Along with her three-run homer, Bartley, who finished with two homers in the game, crushed her second one in the fifth inning which put the game away as the team built a nine-run advantage. Bartley finished the game with three hits in three at bats, along with a game-high five RBI’s.
In the circle, Bartley was just as dominant for Covington as she struck out 10 in a complete-game victory where she only gave up one run on eight hits and surrendered just one walk.
Covington’s Laken Cantrell, Serenity Campbell, and Kayleah Jones each had two hits at the plate, while Lexi Dressler added a pair of RBIs.
While Parry McCluer did collect eight hits off of Bartley, the team struggled bringing in runs as they left eight stranded on base. Trailing by five runs in the fourth inning, the Fighting Blues had their best chance to get to Bartley. Following back-to-back singles from Olivia Julian and Claudia Coleman, Bartley walked Elizabeth Shafer to load the bases. With no outs, Bartley dialed back in and settled down to strike out the next three batters to end the inning.
In the seventh inning Parry McCluer’s Autumn Mundy ended the shutout with an RBI single that scored Peyton Emore. Shafer led the Fighting Blues in hits with two. Julian was charged with the loss after giving up nine runs (eight earned) on 12 hits in six innings. She also walked six and struck out one.
On Thursday Covington will host Grayson County in a Class 1, Region C tournament quarterfinal at the Jackson River Sports Complex.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
PMHS 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 8 1
CHS 3 1 1 2 2 0 X 9 12 0
Fighting Blues Box Score
LINEUP AB R H RBI BB SOF
Emore, SS 4 1 3 0 0 0
Vest, CF 3 0 0 0 0 2
Mundy, C 3 0 1 1 1 1
Julian, P 4 0 1 0 0 1
Coleman, 2B 3 0 1 0 0 0
Shafer, 1B 2 0 2 0 1 0
Hamilton, 2B 2 0 0 0 1 2
Mohler, LF 3 0 0 0 0 1
Wheeler, RF 1 0 0 0 0 1
Hickman 1 0 0 0 0 1
Cullen, RF 1 0 0 0 0 1
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TEAM 27 1 8 1 3 10
PITCHING IP H R ER BB SO
Julian (L) 6 12 9 8 6 1
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TEAM 6 12 9 8 6 1
Cougars Box Score
LINEUP AB R H RBI BB SO
Cantrell, CF 3 3 2 0 1 0
Rose, LF 4 1 1 0 0 0
Bartley, P 3 3 3 5 1 0
Morris, 3B 1 0 0 0 0 0
Marshall 2 1 0 0 1 0
Hicks, SS 4 0 0 0 0 0
Dressler, 2B 2 0 1 2 2 0
Campbell. 1B 4 1 2 0 0 1
Jones, C 4 0 2 0 0 0
Reynolds, RF 3 0 1 1 1 0
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TEAM 30 9 12 8 6 1
PITCHING IP H R ER BB SO
Bartley (W) 7 8 1 1 3 10
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TEAM 7 8 1 1 3 10
