The Shadow
HOT SPRINGS – “I told them to bring it,” said Bath County softball coach Lisa Baugh.
They delivered as they knocked off the Alleghany Mountaineers in five innings Thursday, 13-2.
Sophomore Amanda Shifflett went 3-for-4 at the plate, driving in five runs, while sister Sam and Emily Bartley drove in three runs each to lead the Chargers’ offensive attack.
Jailyn Ford limited the Mountaineers to two hits – a Laura Peterson single and an Eli McCutchen double in the second inning – in picking up her third mound win on the young season. Ford struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
Bath County (3-0) jumped on the Mountaineers early with two runs in the bottom of the first.
Hannah Robertson singled and moved to second on a passed ball. Ford drew a walk and Robertson scored after Amanda Shifflett reached on an error. Bartley then followed with an RBI single to right field to plate Ford and give Bath the early 2-0 lead.
Alleghany (2-2) countered with two runs in the top of the second.
Erin Durham reached on an error with one out and moved to second on Catie Carpenter’s sacrifice bunt. Peterson singled and McCutchen plated both Durham and Peterson with a two-RBI double to knot the score at two.
The score remained knotted at two until the Chargers broke things open with five runs in the bottom of the third.
Allison Sharp doubled to lead off the inning and Robertson drew a walk to put two on. A Ford groundout advanced each runner and Amanda Shifflett cleared the bases with a two-RBI triple.
Emily Bartley reached on an error to put runners at the corners and a double steal allowed Amanda Shifflett to score. Jordan Fry plated Bartley with an RBI single and Erica Plecker followed with an RBI double to give the Chargers a 7-2 lead.
Bath County added a single run in the bottom of the fourth when Robertson and Ford walked and Robertson scored on Amanda Shifflett’s RBI single.
The Lady Chargers sealed the win with five runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Rebekkah Pauley drew a one-out walk and Robertson drew her third free pass of the game with two outs to put two runners on. Alleghany relief pitcher Rebecca Vaughan walked Ford to load the bags and Amanda Shifflett followed with a two-RBI single to make the score 10-2.
Bartley then drew a walk from Vaughan and Sam Shifflett sealed the deal with a base-clearing double to give Bath County a 13-2 lead to end the game due to the mercy rule.
Amanda Shifflett’s three hits led the Chargers, while Bartley added two base knocks. Sam Shifflett, Fry, Plecker, Sharp and Robertson had one hit each.
Alleghany will be back in action Tuesday when they travel to Patrick Henry. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.
Bath County will be back in action Saturday at a tournament at Rappahannock County.
