Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Hayesville slugger Mallory Peck follows through after smacking the softball into the outfield in a recent game. Peck cleared the fence and claimed team leadership in RBI in the process.
By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Hayesville girls got off to an impressive start at Cherokee last Tuesday, but the Lady Jackets were unable to replicate their fine first inning in an 18-2, three-inning loss to the Lady Braves.
“The highlights were all in the first inning,” Hayesville Coach Marissa Peck stated. “We struggled with errors and walks that loaded bases and gave up a grand slam which we didn’t recover from.”
Mallory Peck reaffirmed her status as one of the top softball players in the Smoky Mountain Conference by blasting a two-run dinger over the fence to bring home Micalynn McClure, who led off the game with a single up the middle.
Those two hits, however, were the sum and total of Hayesville’s offense. “No other hits for us in the game,” Peck lamented.
“Mighty Mallory” continues to swing a hot bat. She’s hitting .571 over the last three games.
Her blast made her the team’s leading RBI producer on the season.
McClure’s base hit extended her hitting streak to five games. McClure, who is leading the team in slugging percentage, .909; on base percentage, .583; batting average, .545; hits, 12; runs, eight; stolen bases, six; doubles, four and triples, two, has scored in four of Hayesville’s last five games.
The Lady Jackets face a busy week when they return from spring break, with a home against Cherokee on Monday, a trip to Robbinsville on Tuesday, a visit from Andrews on Thursday followed by Robbinsville coming to Hayesville on Friday.