The Switzerland County Lady Pacer varsity softball team earned two big conference wins during the past week.
Rising Sun
On Wednesday, April 27th, Switzerland County picked up a key win over Rising Sun by a score of 4-2.
Switzerland County scored a single run in the bottom of the second when Jessie Duvall doubled with two outs and scored moments later when Maddie Duvall singled her home. Lily Sparks reached on an error before the inning ended.
Rising Sun grabbed the lead in the top of the fourth with two runs; but the Lady Pacers responded with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Gabby Abplanalp opened the inning with a walk, and Jessie Duvall followed that with a base on balls, as well. Maddie Duvall then singled, but Abplanalp was cut down at third; but both Duvalls scored when Bri Stow powered a two out single.
Switzerland County’s final run came in the bottom of the sixth, when with one out Hailey Sainz was hit by a pitch and reached. She was replaced by courtesy runner Aryonna Cunningham, and she scored on a single by Abplanalp.
The two teams play again tomorrow (Friday) night at Rising Sun.
Milan
On Monday night Switzerland County traveled to Milan to take on the Lady Indians, and the Lady Pacers returned home with a 20-0 victory courtesy of the Mercy Rule.
Switzerland County scored two runs in the top of the first when Lily Sparks walked and then stole second; Bri Stow followed that with a walk, and Nora Hankins made it three walks in a row.
Kayla Cutter then reached on an error by the shortstop and Sparks and Stow scored; and then stole a base before the inning ended.
In the third the dam burst, as Switzerland County scored seven runs.
Stow led of the inning with a walk, and Hankins was hit by a pitch. Cutter then singled; and Macy Cook reached on a fielder’s choice and Aryonna Cunningham blasted a two RBI double. Jessie Duvall then tripled home Cunningham; Maddie Duvall singled home her sister; and Sparks tripled home Maddie Duvall. Stow then batted for the second time in the inning, connecting on a single that scored Sparks.
Holding a 9-0 lead, the Lady Pacers then scored seven more in the fourth.
Klayre Smith reached on a fielder’s choice and Shayli Hite reached on an error by the shortstop. Cunningham was then hit by a pitch.
With the bases loaded Jessie Duvall singled home two RBI; and Maddie Duvall followed that with a two RBI single. Sparks then reached on a single and Stow followed that with a single that scored Maddie Duvall and Sparks.
Switzerland County reached the Mercy Rule — being ahead by more than 10 runs after the team that’s behind bats for a fifth time — in the fifth, but the Lady Pacers got to bat in the fifth because they were the visiting team.
In the fifth, Switzerland County got runs by Maddie Levell, Hailey Sainz and Cunningham to finish off the 20-0 rout.
Sparks was masterful on the mound, hurling a no-hitter. The only blemish keeping her from her second Perfect Game of the season was when she hit a batter in the second inning.
For the game, Sparks struck out seven, and when Milan players did make contact, nothing ever left the infield.