Post Photo by Kacy Kincaid Forrest starting pitcher Ella Chilton fires from the mound.
Post Photo by Kacy Kincaid Anna Wood gets the stop for the Lady Bulldogs.
By KACY KINCAID
Sports Writer
CHAPEL HILL — The Forrest Lady Rockets hosted the Cornersville Lady Bulldogs at the “Field of Dreams” Monday evening for their season opener and the Lady Rockets took the 3-2 in-county matchup victory.
After a calm inning and a half from both teams, the Forrest bats lit up when pitcher Ella Chilton reached first on a Cornersville error, bringing up senior Sarah King, who hit the hole in left to put pinch runner Maddy Ille on third.
A hard-hit triple from junior Emory Hall scored Ille and King, gave the Lady Rockets the 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second.
Megan Dunn rounded out the inning with an RBI to score Hall and Forrest getting the 3-0 jump on the Lady ‘Dawgs.
The Lady Rockets threatened again in the bottom of the third with two outs with a single from Christa Warren and Briley Burnham, but the steady hands of Cornersville shortstop Anna Wood shut down the inning.
Chilton and her defense held the Cornersville to three up, three down through three innings, but it was Wood again in the top of the fourth with a leadoff single for Cornersville, followed by a single shot from Abigail Storey to score Wood. Even with Storey’s hit, Forrest still led 3-1.
Cornersville initiated another threat to start the fifth frame by loading the bases, but a strong defensive stop by Warren held the Lady ‘Dawgs at bay.
Cornersville struck again on its next at bat, when Emma Ward reached on a leadoff single, then ultimately scoring on a wild pitch with two outs.
Taylor Moreland took over in the circle in at the top of the fifth and ended the game strong, striking out the side in the seventh to seal the 3-2 win for the Lady Rockets.
“I felt like defensively, we made the plays we were supposed to make, but on the pitching and hitting side of it we just weren’t as strong,” Forrest head coach Shelby Lightfoot said.
“Pitching-wise we just threw way too many balls putting too many people on base, wild pitches. And hitting, I thought we started off hitting the ball hard, ground balls, line drives, and then we just kind of slacked for a little bit. So, we just have to stay consistent on that level.”
Hall led the Lady Rockets’ offense going 2-for-2 on the evening with a triple, while Warren, Burnham, King, and Moreland went 1-for-3.
Ward, Wood, and Storey went 1-for-3 on the night for the Lady ‘Dawgs.
Forrest will travel to Murfreesboro to take on Riverdale Friday at 5:30 p.m., while Cornersville travels to Giles County Thursday evening to face the Lady Bobcats at 6 p.m.
Cornersville 000 101 0 — 2 4 2
Forrest 030 000 x — 3 6 0
Cornersville: Anna Wood 1-3, Emma Ward 1-3, Abigail Storey 1-3
Forrest:Emory Hall 2-2, Christa Warren 1-3, Briley Burnham 1-3, Sarah King 1-3, Taylor Moreland 1-3
WP: Chilton
LP: C. Ward
