Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Hayesville shortstop Raylyn Taylor fires to first after gloving a hot grounder.
By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Just call Micalynn McClure the ‘Dream Deny-er.’
For three consecutive games, Hayesville’s fabulous freshman has denied opposing pitchers the dream of hurling a no-hitter, which must be some kind of record.
McClure broke up two no-hitters in a doubleheader against Swain County last week in the Lady Yellow Jackets’ first action since McClure busted up a no-hitter by walloping a triple for her team’s only hit at Hiwassee Dam on March 21.
Tuesday, in Bryson City, Micalynn rocked a fourth-inning line drive double to bust up a perfect game by last year’s Smoky Mountain Conference Pitcher of the Year Rylee Rawls in the first game. In the nightcap, Micalynn touched Rawls by slamming a liner up the middle in the bottom of the first inning.
Micalynn also starred on defense, but Swain overwhelmed the Lady Jackets, 13-1 and 13-0, in games shortened by the 10-run mercy rule.
“Swain has some great hitters who saw the ball well early,” remarked Coach Marissa Peck. “That, mixed with errors, allowed them to widen a gap that was too large to overcome.”
Here’s a summary:
Swain County 13, Hayesville 1
Rawls, who began the day with 386 career strikeouts, struck out four and didn’t allow a hit in the first three innings but the Maroon Devils offense was the big story.
Swain, which hits .318 as a team, sent 18 batters to the plate in a raucous first inning that included eight hits, five walks, two errors and 13 runs.
Micalynn had the misfortune of being the starting pitcher, but eight of the 13 runs were unearned. Mallory Peck took over and put out the fire, getting the second out on an infield liner followed by a sweet backhand catch by left-fielder Lillie McClure on the foul line.
Peck was even better in the second inning, retiring Swain one, two, three. The outs came on a strong peg from third to first by Micalynn, a swinging strikeout and a smooth scoop and throw by Peck on a grounder to the circle.
Peck hung another goose egg on the Maroon Devils in the third inning on a foul pop collected by Kara Bauer and a slick unassisted double play by Raylyn Taylor, who grabbed a pop-up and ran down a base runner who strayed too far off the first base bag.
Hayesville finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth frame when Micalynn socked the first pitch down the leftfield line. Peck’s sacrifice bunt advanced Micalynn, who motored home when Lillie McClure drilled a hot grounder to shortstop, who threw the ball over her first baseman’s head.
Hayesville 0-0-0 1 = 1
Swain Co. 13-0-0 x = 13
Runs: M. McClure
Hits: M. McClure
Doubles: M. McClure
Sac: Peck
Swain 13, Hayesville 0
Swain cleanup hitter Faith Woodward, who had five RBI’s in the first game, smoked a two-RBI homer over the left-field fence in a three-run first inning and Swain put the game away with seven runs in the next frame.
The Lady Jackets managed just three hits — by Peck and the McClures — and hurt themselves with seven errors. Only four of Swain’s 13 runs off Peck were earned.
That’s not to say Hayesville didn’t shine at times. One of best gems came when Rawls attempted to stretch a double into a triple but was gunned down by Lily Chastain’s rope to third sacker Breanna Patterson in the first inning. Peck then whiffed Bella Green to end Swain’s rally.
Down 3-0, Hayesville threatened in its half of the frame when Micalynn hit a solid single. Unfortunately, she was thrown out stealing. Next, Peck singled up the middle, stole second and reached third when Lillie McClure reached on a throwing error. Sadly, Peck and McClure were stranded when Rawls struck out two in a row.
Hayesville’s woes continued in the second inning when Swain’s first seven batters reached base on two infield singles, a booming two-run triple and solid single to right, two infield errors, three wild pitches, a hit batter and a walk.
Peck stopped the bleeding by inducing a pop-up to short and making an over-the-shoulder grab as she backed out of the circle on a blooper.
Hayesville continued to hang tough in the third, as Peck allowed just two hits and one run, Micalynn threw out a Maroon Devil from shortstop and Lillie McClure shot down a batter from third with the help of skillful glove work by first baseman Danielle Anderson.
The Lady Jackets displayed more good glove work in the fourth and final inning when Micalynn wisely erased a runner at third on fielder’s choice, Lillie McClure made a nice running catch in pitchers circle and Peck got the final out with three consecutive strikes.
Hayesville trailed by double digits but refused to concede. In the final inning, Lillie McClure blasted a double 200’ to the fence and Bauer drew a walk with one out, but Rawls left both stranded.
Hayesville (1-6 overall, 1-4 conference) hosted Pisgah (6-3) on Wednesday and will host Copper Basin (0-2) on Friday before traveling to Copper Basin on Monday and Cherokee (3-1) on Tuesday.
Hayesville 0-0-0 0 = 0
Swain Co. 3-7-1 2 = 13
Hits: L. McClure, M. McClure, Peck
Stolen Bases: Peck
Walks: Bauer