Cardinal downs Lady Hawks with seventh-inning rally

BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

ELDON - A one-out single with two on in the bottom of the 7th scored the winning run for Cardinal in 6-5 win over the Central Lee Lady Hawks Monday night.

The Lady Hawks had put up a three-spot in the top half to overcome a one-run deficit going into the final inning.

Halo Arrowood walked to start the seventh, followed by a Daly Brisby single to left. With those two at first and second, Meghan Hopp doubled on a line drive to center scoring both Brisby and courtesy running Sophie Woodley.

Cardinal hurler Kassidy Verrips got the next two Central Lee hitters out and then Sophie Turner ripped a triple to right field scoring Hopp to make it a 5-3 game. Andrea Benner would pop out to second to end the top half.

Turner would then give up a single to center to start the bottom half of the seventh. An error on the throw allowed Cardinal's Kinsey Hissem to advance to second. Another error in right on a fly ball from Caitlyn Reber moved Hissem to third.

Alexia McClure would then hit a 1-2 pitch, after three consecutive foul balls, into center field scoring Hissem and Reber to tie the game at 5 all.

Turner then hit the next batter to put the game-winning run at second with no outs. Cardinal's Rachel Lewman would line out to left holding all the runners for the first out, but a single on a looper to center from Ella Thompson plated McClure on a close play at home to give Cardinal the win.

Brisby led Central Lee going 3 for 4 with two runs scored. Hopp went 1 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI. She also scored two runs. Shanna Buford had two RBI going 1 for 3. Arrowood, Morrison, and Turner also had hits for the Lady Hawks.

Sophie Turner went 6 1/3 innings giving up six runs, four earned on 11 hits and no walks. She struck out one.

The Lady Hawks are now 3-3 in conference play and 5-10 overall, with three regular season games remaining. They take on Keokuk on the road tonight at 7 p.m and then host Fort Madison on Friday in a double header starting at 5:30 p.m

Class 3A Region 8 post season action starts on July 15 with a 7 p.m. matchup against No. 14 West Burlington at Barb Carter Field. The winner will travel to West Liberty on July 17 to face the winner of the West Liberty/Camanche July 15 game.

The top side of the bracket has Davenport Assumption/Columbus and Tipton/Mid Prairie. The regional championship is played on July 20 at 7 p.m. at site to be determined.