Grayhounds sweep Lady Hawks

BY PCC STAFF

BURLINGTON - The Central Lee girls softball team dropped its third game in a row Saturday after a two-game sweep at the hands of the Burlington Grayhounds at Wagner Field.

The Grayhounds jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning after the Lady Hawks' Sophie Turner and the Central Lee defense had held Burlington check through three. Turner gave up four hits through three innings but got out of each inning without surrendering a run.

In the fourth, with two outs, Burlington's Megan Topping singled and Brynn Cassidy walked. Bryanna Mehaffy would single to center field loading the bases. Burlington starter Adessa Brandenburg would help her own cause with a two-run single to center scoring Topping and Cassidy.

Brandenburg would get a courtesy runner who would swipe second. An error on the play brought Mehaffy around the score. Lydia Allen-Barnes would then single to left scoring another run for a 4-0 lead.

Central Lee would get one back in top of the fifth. Andrea Benner singled to start the inning, but would get forced at second on a fielder's choice off Makayla Morrison's bat. Zoe Eschman would pop out to short for the second out.

Macy Watkins would reach on an infield error moving Morrison to third. Daly Brisby would work a walk to load the bases with two outs. Shanna Buford would draw another walk scoring Morrison, but Halo Arrowood would line sharply to second to retire the side.

Turner would allow just two hits the rest of the way, but the Lady Hawks couldn't get anything going in the sixth or seventh for the 4-1 loss.

Arrowood, Benner, Turner, Hopp, Morrison and Eschman all had hits in the loss. Turner (4-3) went the distance surrendering four runs all earned on 10 hits, while striking out two in the loss.

Mehaffy led Burlington going 3-4 with a run scored. Brandenburg was 2-4 with 2 RBI and went seven innings giving up six hits and one run unearned while striking out four.

In the second game, the Lady Hawks again squandered in the fourth giving up three runs, in the 5-1 loss. Carley McGinity laced a two-run single to left scoring two with no outs. The other run came on a passed ball that allowed McGinity to score.

Central's run came off a Watkin's double scoring Zoe Eschman in the bottom of the first. Watkins led the Hawks at the plate going 2-for-3 with a double and the RBI. Buford also went 2-for-3. Eschman and Hopp each had a hit for Central Lee.

Hopp (1-1) went six innings giving up five runs, three earned on 10 hits, while striking out one.