By Mark Carpenter-
The Peebles Lady Indians will be back in familiar territory this week as they will make a return trip to the Division IV District Tournament after a convincing 10-0 run rule win over Lucasville Valley in the sectional tournament finals on May 10. The sectional title match up, delayed one day because of weather, saw the Lady Indians win with their usual formula, outstanding pitching from senior Madison Pierce, and an 11-hit offensive attack that included five extra-base hits.
Pierce turned in another masterful effort from the center circle, allowing just one hit over five innings of work and striking out nine Valley hitters. The Lady Indians scored in all five of their at-bats, beginning with a first inning run off of Valley starter Madi Williams. Brycelyn Short led off with a walk and came all the way around the bases to score on a trio of passed balls.
Peebles went up 2-0 in the bottom of the second when right fielder Avery Storer led off with a triple and came home on a two-base hit to left by Jerilin Toller. The third Peebles run came in their third trip to the plate- Christian Reed singled, stole second and third, and came home on a base hit to left by Lanie Johnston.
The biggest offensive inning of the game for the Lady Indians was the bottom of the fourth, when they plated five runs to break the game wide open. With one out, Marissa Moore singled and came home on a two-bagger to center by Pierce. A base hit by catcher Kylie Sims plated Pierce to make it 5-0 and one out later, Kyndell Lloyd reached on an error that allowed Sims to score.
Storer followed with another extra-base hit, this time a double to left, and a walk to Johnston filled the bases. Toller drew another walk, forcing home Lloyd with the inning’s fourth run and Storer came home on a wild pitch to make it 8-0 Peebles.
A single and a walk gave Valley a pair of base runners in the top of the fifth, but Pierce coaxed the next two hitters into infield pop-ups to end the threat, bring her team to the plate in the bottom half with a chance to send everyone home two innings early, which is exactly what they did. With one away, Pierce singled and stole second, then rode home on a triple to left by battery mate Sims. After Reed grounded out for the second out, Lloyd came to the plate and sent all the Peebles fans home happy, with a base hit that drove home Sims with the 10th run of the day, enough to enforce the run rule in a 10-0 triumph
triumph for the Lady Indians.
The Lady Indians got two hits apiece from Pierce, Sims, and Storer, with Sims and Toller driving in two each as the Peebles squad moved on to the district tournament. Pierce got the win, allowing just a fifth inning single.
The Lady Indians were in district play on Tuesday, May 14 at Rio Grande University, where they faced off with the Lady Eagle of Eastern Pike, a #7 seed and upset winners in the sectional finals over #2 seeded Symmes Valley. A win on Tuesday would send Peebles to the district championship game on Saturday, May 18, back at Rio Grande, and slated for a first pitch at 11 a.m.
Valley
000 00 —0
Peebles
111 52 —10
Valley Hitting (AB-R-H-RBI): Weeks 3-0-0-0, Buckle 1-0-0-0, Spencer 2-0-0-0, Williams 2-0-0-0, Whitt 2-0-0-0, Bell 2-0-1-0, L. Stevens 2-0-0-0, Elliott 1-0-0-0, A. Stevens 2-0-0-0, Team 17-0-1-0.
Peebles Hitting (AB-R-H-RBI): Short 2-1-0-0, Moore 4-1-1-0, Pierce 4-2-2-1, Sims 3-2-2-2, Reed 3-1-1-0, Lloyd 4-1-1-1, Storer 3-2-2-0, Johnston 1-0-1-1, Toller 2-0-1-2, Team 26-10-11-7.
Extra-Base Hits: Storer 2B, 3B; Pierce 2B; Toller 2B, Sims 3B
Valley Pitching:
Williams (L) 5 IP, 11 H, 10 R, 6 ER, 6 BB, 0 K
Peebles Pitching:
Pierce (W) 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K