Lady Bobcats Scalp Lady Indians

The Gilmer High School Lady Bobcats softball team hosted the Lady Indians of North Murray (N.C.). The Lady Bobcats posted an 8-0 shutout victory. Gilmer was able to “cowboy up” on the Lady Indians from the first inning on. Lead off batter Jade Green walked then immediately stole second base. Taylor Powell’s bunt single put women on first and third. Powell also stole second. Rachel Crump reached base via an error by the North Murray first basewoman, which also allowed Green to score Gilmer’s first run, and Powell to go to third. After Crump also stole second, a member of the lively Gilmer crowd exclaimed, “Don’t steal all the bases.” The Lady Bobcats did not listen, as Powell promptly stole home on an errant pitch, followed immediately by Crump who stole home on an errant pitch that put Amber Lee Newton on first base. Courtesy runner S. Banks was brought in for Newton. She also stole second.

The Lady Bobcats led 3-0 when Melanie Nicholson’s walk put women on first and second. Banks was also able to eventually steal home, due to yet another errant pitch, making the score 4-0. Kristen Marshall’s single put women on first and second. Following a strike out, Caitlyn Coleman’s RBI single made the score 5-0. The inning came to a close, when Green came up again and popped out to left field; however, much to Murray’s chagrin, not before the Bobcats took a 6-0 lead.

Crump struck out all three batters in the second inning. The bottom of the second saw only one Gilmer batter get on base, Ansley Mulkey, who hit a two out double, but was left stranded, following a strike out.

The third inning featured another three up three down performance, or lack there of, by the Lady Indians. Crump recorded two more strike outs. Ashlyn Davis, was the only batter to make contact, and she hit a pop fly to second.

K. Marsh led off with a single, but was able to reach second due to drop at first base. Melody Waddell’s sacrifice ground out moved Marsh to third. Following a strike out, Bailey Charles’ RBI single made the score 7-0. A Gilmer ground out finished the inning.

In the top of the fourth, North Murray managed to hit one single, but little else as three out of the four batters Crump faced, failed to reach first. The Lady Bobcats faired no better as Gilmer went down one, two, three.

The game came to close when, following yet another scoreless top half inning from North Murray, Marsh’s RBI single made the score 8-0, and the game was called due to mercy rule.