COVINGTON, VA – In the Class 1, Region C softball tournament on Thursday, the Grayson County Lady Blue Devils scored seven runs in the seventh inning to rally from a five-run deficit to shock the Covington Lady Cougars 10-8 at the Jackson River Sports Complex.
With a runner on base, down to their last two outs and facing a five-run deficit, the Blue Devils strung together seven straight hits that brought in seven runs in the top of the seventh inning.
On a 2-2 count, Chasity Wilson had the games biggest hit as she ripped a line-drive to right-center that scored a pair of runs which gave the team their first and only lead of the game at 9-8. Kylie Pope followed with a sacrifice bunt that brought in an insurance run as the team scored their seventh run of the inning.
Grayson County batted around in the seventh inning and had brought 10 batters to the plate in their seven-run seventh. The Blue Devils had been held to three runs and eight hits through the first six innings.
After falling behind 1-0 in the first, Covington answered by scoring three runs in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run single from Addison Morris and a Brooklyn Hicks sacrifice fly out.
Covington’s lead slipped away in the third inning when Grayson County scored two runs to tie the game at 3-3. But the Cougars came right back with a Hicks RBI on a sacrifice fly out and added their fifth run in the fourth inning on a Gabby Marshall ground out.
Leading 5-3, Covington built their lead to five runs in the sixth inning as they grabbed three runs behind a Kayla Bartley sacrifice fly out and a two-run double from Morris.
Following the seven-run seventh inning from Grayson County, Covington did put on base the potential tying run and brought the potential winning run to the plate. After Serenity Campbell reached on a one-out single, Kayleah Jones struck out looking. Laken Cantrell walked with two outs. The potential rally ended when Marshall grounded out to second base.
Morris led all Cougars with a four-RBI performance. Cantrell and Campbell each had two hits. The loss was charged to Bartley who allowed 10 runs on 16 hits and struck out six in a complete-game performance.
Grayson County was led by Jayliah Phipps who had a two-hit, three RBI performance. Phipps was one of four Blue Devils with multiple-RBI’s. Wilson, Hiley Boyer, and Carrie Shupe each had two RBI’s. Karyss Isom led all batters with a 3-for-3 day at the plate.
The loss closes the book on Covington’s softball program. In their last season the Cougars finished with a record of 13-8 and were the Pioneer District regular season and tournament champions.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
GCHS 1 0 2 0 0 0 7 10 16 5
CHS 3 0 1 1 0 3 0 8 9 0
Blue Devils Box Score
LINEUP AB R H RBI BB SO
Pope, CF 5 2 2 1 0 1
A. Shupe, 2B 5 0 1 0 0 1
Testerman, LF 5 2 2 0 0 0
Boyer, P 4 2 2 2 0 1
Isom, C 3 1 3 0 0 0
Wilson 1 0 0 0 0 0
Phipps, 3B 3 1 2 3 0 0
C. Shupe, RF 4 1 2 2 0 0
Arduin, 2B 3 1 1 0 0 0
C. Wilson, 1B 3 0 1 2 0 2
Turner, 1B 1 0 0 0 0 1
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TEAM 37 10 16 10 0 6
PITCHING IP H R ER BB SO
Boyer (W) 7 9 8 3 4 4
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TEAM 7 9 8 3 4 4
Cougars Box Score
LINEUP AB R H RBI BB SO
Cantrell, CF 4 2 2 0 1 0
Marshall, LF 5 2 1 1 0 1
Bartley, P 1 2 0 1 3 0
Morris, 1B 4 0 2 4 0 0
Rose, 3B 4 0 1 0 0 0
Hicks, SS 4 0 1 2 0 0
Dressler, 2B 4 0 0 0 0 0
Campbell. DH 4 1 2 0 0 1
Jones, C 4 1 0 0 0 2
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TEAM 34 8 9 8 4 4
PITCHING IP H R ER BB SO
Bartley (L) 7 16 10 10 0 6
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TEAM 7 16 10 10 0 6
Boyer and Isom. Bartley and Jones. W – Boyer. L – Bartley. 2B – GC: Boyer, Isom, and Wilson. CH: Morris. TB – GC: Isom 4. Boyer 3, Pope 2, Testerman 2, Wilson 2, Phipps 2, C. Shupe 2, Arduin, and A. Shupe. CH: Morris 3, Cantrell 2, Campbell 2, Marshall, Rose, and Hicks. HBP – GC: Isom. SB – GC: Testerman. CH: Cantrell, Rose, and Hicks.
