
Peebles third baseman Ashlyn Abbott reaches to haul in the throw as West Union’s Sara Boldman slides safely into third base in action from Saturday morning’s SHAC match up. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)
By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
It was an all-county Southern Hills Athletic Conference make-up game at West Union High School on the morning of May 6 as the host Lady Dragons welcomed in the Peebles Lady Indians, in what might be seen as tournament tune up as both teams began sectional tournament play this week.
It was Senior Day for the Lady Dragons but eh action on the field belonged to the Lady Indians as they scored seven times int heir first two at-bats and then cruised to a 10-1 road victory. The Peebles squad was missing three starters due to conflicting scheduled with other events, but didn’t miss a beat as their substitutes performed their roles admirably.
With one out in the top of the first for the Lady Indians, Abigail Smalley singled followed by a walk to Caydence Carroll. A base hit by Payton Davis filled the bases and then two runs raced home when Kylie Schumacher reached safely on a West Union error. An RBI ground out off the bat of Aleah Purcell gave the visitors the early three-run advantage.
After Peebles starter Payton Davis retired the Lady Dragons in order in the bottom of the first, the Lady Indians’ offense went right back to work in the top of the second. Freshman Tiffany Burns led off the frame and reached base on another West Union fielding miscue. followed by Darby Mills and Smalley doing exactly the same. Burns was picked off third base on a snap throw from West Union catcher Olivia Lewis, but Carroll followed with a basehit down the fight fieldl ine that brought Mills across. Smalley then raced across on a wild pitch while Davis was at the plate, who eventually was hit by a pitch. Schumacher laid down a bunt in front of theplate that was fielded by Lady Dragons’ pitcher Carly Leonard but her throw sailed high over first baseman Audrey Weakley’s head, allowing CArroll and Davis to score and make it 7-0.
The only West Union run of the day came in the bottom half of the second inning. Lewis drew a lead off walk and one out later moved up on a base hit by Kenedi Williams. A single by Weakley drove home Lewis to make it 7-1.
Peebles added a single run in the top half of the fourth when Carroll singled, advacned on a walk and an error and scored when Purcell coaxed a bases loaded base on balls. In the top of the sixth, the Lady Indians tacked on two more, getting run-scoring base hits from Burns and Lydia Maddox to go up 10-1.
In the center circle, Payton Davis was solid for the Lady Indians in going the distance for the win. The right hander allowed just two hits while striking out 15 Lady Dragon hitters. At the plate, Caydence Carroll collected three hits and scored three times. Davis helped her own cause with two hits and scored two runs, as the Lady Indians garnered eight hits overall.
Both West Union hits came in the second inning , from Kenedi Williams and Audrey Weakley.
The loss dropped the Lady Dragons to 3-14 on the season and they opend Division III sectional tournament play on Tuesday, May 9 when they traveled to Coal Grove to battle the Lady Hornets. That score was not available at press time.
The Lady Indians were back in actiuon on Monday night, dropping a 4-2 conference decision to Whiteoak to fall to 6-16 on the spring and they also opened Division III sectional play onWednesday, May 10 on the road at Lucasville Valley in a sectionl final tilt.
Peebles
340 102 0 —10
West Union
010 000 0 —1
Peebles Hitting (AB-R-H-RBI): Mills 5-1-0-0, Smalley 4-2-1-0, Carroll 3-3-3-1, Davis 3-2-2-0, Schumacher 5-0-0-0, Purcell 3-1-0-1, Abbott 4-0-0-0, Burns 3-1-1-1, Maddox 3-0-1-1, Team 33-10-8-4.
W. Union Hitting (AB-R-H-RBI): Boldman 3-0-0-0, Ford 4-0-0-0, Stout 2-0-0-0, Reed 1-0-0-0, Mason 1-0-0-0, Lewis 2-1-0-0, Stephenson 3-0-0-0, Williams 3-0-1-0, Weakley 3-0-1-1, Leonard 2-0-0-0, Stapleton 3-0-0-0, Team 28-1-2-1.
Peebles Pitching:
Davis (W) 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 15 K
W. Union Pitching:
Boldman (L) 5.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 8 K
Leonard 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB