Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress All eyes are on the ball sailing into the outfield as Hayesville's Lillie McClure connects for a third-inning double to tie the score at 2.
By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Hayesville bats were truly smoking for the first time this season Monday, but the offensive firepower was undermined by shaky glove work and a one-inning inability to throw strikes.
The Lady Yellow Jackets outhit Copper Basin, 9-7, but left nine runners on base and committed seven errors in the field as the Cougars sprang from a 2-all tie to a 12-2 mercy-rule softball triumph.
Hayesville’s defense may have faltered, but the offense was dy-no-mite. The Lady Jackets slammed three extra-base hits, had at least one hit in every inning, only struck out three times and were aggressive on the base paths.
Micalynn McClure, .526, and Mallory Peck led the attack. Both went 2-for-3 with extra base hits. Micalynn crushed pitches to the deep outfield for a single and triple, while Peck twice smoked the ball through infield for a single and double.
All nine Hayesville batters made impressive contact, a feat not seen prior to this game.
Lillie McClure’s shot down the line had hot sauce all over it; Danielle Anderson drilled a rope between two outfielders for a single and ripped a drive to center that was caught; Lily Chastain stroked a solid single up the middle; Kyla Bauer busted the ball into right field for a single; Breanna Patterson punched a base hit through the infield and flew out to center; Raylyn Taylor lofted three flies and really tagged the ball in the second inning and Daylyn Murray connected all three times and reached the outfield.
Peck’s double gave Hayesville a 1-0 lead. In the fourth inning, Micalynn blasted the ball over the right fielder’s head. The blast rolled to the fence and had inside-the-park homer written all over it, but Mighty Mic held at third, which made sense since there was only one out and the heart of the order coming up. Unfortunately, Micalynn never got past third.
Stranding runners was a reoccurring problem for the Black-and-Gold. Hayesville appeared on the verge of a big inning in the first, second, third and fifth frames, yet only scored twice.
The third inning was the most frustrating. Peck led off with a sharp single to left and hustled home with the tying run (2-2) when Lillie golfed a shot down the left field line for a double. The party continued when Murray singled on a Texas leaguer to right. Tie game, no outs, runners on first and third. Time to put the Gatorade on ice.
Expectations were promptly dashed as the next three batters were retired on a ground-out and two strikeouts.
Meanwhile, Peck was pitching masterfully. Mighty Mal faced only four batters in the first and third innings and allowed just two singles in the first three innings. Copper Basin scored twice in the second, but both runs were unearned.
The score was 2-2 when the roof collapsed in the bottom of the fourth.
Copper Basin’s first four batters walked and the next three cracked singles to put the Cougars up 6-2. Then things got freaky.
A seventh run scored when a pitch struck Alexis Hyatt’s foot with bases loaded. The next batter, Maggie Scoggins drilled a worm burner off Peck’s foot and two more runs scored when the ball skittered away from Patterson into the outfield. Copper Basin 9, Hayesville 2 and still zero outs.
Good defense stopped the bleeding. Lillie and Anderson made unassisted putouts and Micalynn zipped the ball to Peck to cut down a runner trying to get home on a wild pitch.
Those weren’t the only defensive gems. Micalynn nailed a would-be base stealer in the first inning and Lillie tagged a base runner and threw to Anderson for a double play in the third.
The fifth inning was a different story. Hayesville errors enabled Copper Basin to post three runs and end the game via the 10-run rule.
Hayesville, 1-7, traveled to Cherokee, 3-3, on Tuesday and will host the Lady Braves on Friday.
Hayesville 1-0-1 0-0 = 2
Copper Basin 0-2-0 7-3 = 12
Hits: Micalynn 2, Peck 2, K. Bauer, Chastain, Lillie, Murray and Patterson
Doubles: Lillie and Peck
Triples: Micalynn
Runs: Micalynn and Peck
Stolen bases: Micalynn
Sac: Micalynn