McFarling, Staples lead varsity girls over Crittenden, 11-5
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Ella Staples belted a home run and Hayley McFarling had two doubles and was the winning pitcher during an 11-5 win for the Lady Hornets over Crittenden County. The game was the first of two played at Vastwood Park Saturday.
McFarling knocked in a run in the first inning before the Hancock County offense exploded for five runs in the second. Ella House, Brooke Toler, Baylee Estes, Braley Roberts and Staples all hit safely and McFarling delivered a 2-run double to give the Lady Hornets a 6-0 lead.
Estes single and scored on a hit by Staples in the fourth after Crittenden had plated two runs in the top half of the frame. Layni Roberts had an RBI double in the fifth inning and HCHS led 10-2.
Staples led off the sixth inning with a solo home run after the visitors had scored three times in the same frame. McFarling and the Lady Hornets defense closed the door when they recorded three consecutive outs in the seventh.
McFarling got the win on the mound while allowing five runs (three earned) on 10 hits, with two Ks and one walk over seven complete innings.
Staples was 3 for 4 with the homer and four RBI, and McFarling was 3 for 3 with two doubles and three RBI. Toler and Estes both went 2 for 3, Layni Roberts was 1 for 1 with a double and one RBI, House was 1 for 2, Braley Roberts was 1 for 4 with one RBI, Lily Roberts was 1 for 4 with a double, Kylie Westerfield and Kennedy Desper each scored a run.
Game 1
Crittenden County came from behind to win 6-5 over the Lady Hornets in the opening contest Saturday.
The Lady Rockets held a 1-0 lead when the Lady Hornets got going in the third.
Braley Roberts and Westerfield were on base when Staples brought them both home with a double. Hancock went ahead 3-1 in the fourth when Estes singled, stole second and scored on a hit by Braley Roberts.
The Lady Hornets defense had two outs with runners on in the sixth when Crittenden got a timely hit to tie the score at 3-3.
Hancock County again had recorded two outs in the seventh, but an error allowed the visitors to load the bases. The Lady Rockets’ catcher then hit a shot off the wall in rightfield and cleared the bases, giving Crittenden a 6-3 advantage.
The Lady Hornets battled back in the home half of the seventh. Braley Roberts led off the frame with a hit and Westerfield followed with a double off the fence. Staples then knocked both runners home with a base hit and suddenly the score was 6-5. McFarling reached base on a error and Crittenden decided to intentionally walk Lily Roberts to load the bases. With no outs, the Lady Rockets brought the infield in and proceeded to secure three consecutive force outs to win the game.
Lily Roberts absorbed the loss on the mound. She allowed six runs (two earned) on six hits, with seven Ks and three walks over seven frames.
Staples was 2 for 4 with a double and four RBI, and Braley Roberts was 2 for 3 with one RBI. Westerfield was 1 for 3 with a double, Estes and Adi Hurst were both 1 for 3, and McFarling was 1 for 4.
A pitcher’s duel
The Lady Hornets battled toe-to-toe with possibly the top team in the 3rd Region when they fell 1-0 to Daviess County in Owensboro Tuesday.
“I’m proud of them for how they competed after a poor effort against Apollo,” HCHS coach Dwayne Wroe said.
Daviess County (17-3) threw their top pitcher, Greysyne Whiteker, against the Lady Hornets’ Hayley McFarling. The two seniors put on a good show.
Braley Roberts led off the game with a base hit and Hancock County was off and running, but DCHS later got out of trouble with a 1-6-3 double play.
The Lady Hornets had another great opportunity in the fourth when Roberts reached base on an error and advanced into scoring position on a hit by McFarling. The Lady Panthers escaped when Lily Roberts’ fly ball was caught in rightfield.
DCHS scored its lone run in the bottom of the fourth when Jessie Daniels reached base on an error and later scored on a 2-out hit by Katie Mewes.
McFarling allowed one unearned run on six hits, with seven Ks and one walk over six frames.
Whiteker allowed two hits, with five Ks and no walks over seven innings.
Braley Roberts and McFarling both went 1 for 3 at the plate.
Apollo
Apollo had everything going their way during a surprising, 13-0 win over Hancock County here Monday.
It was a close game through four innings with the Lady E-Gals leading by just one run at 1-0. Apollo took control by scoring five runs in the fifth and seven more in the seventh.
The Lady Hornets had a runner at third base on multiple occasions, but could not convert.
Lily Roberts took the loss on the mound, allowing nine runs (five earned) on nine hits, with six Ks and no walks over four innings. Hayley McFarling allowed four runs on six hits, with three Ks and no walks over two frames, and Emmalynn Higdon pitched one shutout inning.
Higdon was 1 for 1 at the plate, while Estes went 1 for 2. Staples was 1 for 3.
By Steve Wimmer
