By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
After falling short in their first two outings of 2024, Coach Doug McFarland and his Peebles Lady Indians softball squad put one on the left side of the ledger on April 5, hosting the Ripley Lady Jays in Southern Hills Athletic Conference action. The Peebles girls struck for six runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back, downing the visiting Lady Jays by a final count of 14-5.
After Peebles hurler Kaelyn Musser set down the Lady Jays in order in the top of the first, the Lady Indians’ offense went to work in their half of the frame. Musser led off with a walk but was later caught stealing, but #2 hitter Baylie Johnson also drew a walk. After Caydence Carroll reached safely, an Abigail Smalley single loaded the bases. An Ashlyn Abbott base hit plated the first Peebles run, and a Kylie Schumacher single made it 2-0.
With the sacks still jammed, a base hit off the bat of Aleah Purcell brought home Smalley and Abbott to make it 4-0. Reese Davis reached on a Ripley error that brought home another run and a Kyndell Young ground out brought home the sixth run of the inning.
An error and a passed ball led to a pair of runs for the Lady Jays in the top of the second, but the Lady Indians extended their lead with a two-spot in the bottom of the second, getting RBI’s from Carroll and Schumacher to lead 7-2. A base knock by Johnston scored Davis in the bottom half of the third to give the home team a seven-run advantage.
The Lady Jays picked up one in the fifth and a pair of unearned tallies in the top of the sixth, but the Lady Indians answered with five more in their half of the sixth, sending 11 batters to the dish and getting run knocked in from Purcell, Young, Musser and Smalley. Musser mowed down the Lady Jays in the top of the seventh, striking out two and the Lady Indians claimed their first “W” of 2024.
Coach McFarland’s squad was slated to be back in action on April 9 with a non-conference trip to Southeaster, then will travel to North Adams on Thursday to face the Lady Devils in conference action. Friday brings another SHAC battle as Peebles will host the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats.
