LaPlata Softball/Baseball at Brashear September 9, 2011

The Tigers and Bulldogs split a Tri-County Conference double-header.

The softball game between LaPlata and Brashear was a much anticipated matchup with implications for the Tri-County Conference championship. Both teams were undefeated in conference play. It looked like LaPlata might score in the 1st as leadoff hitter Mallory Eitel singled, but was ultimately stranded at third. Brashear threatened in the 2nd a Cierra Hines had a leadoff single, but she too ended up stranded at 3rd. LaPlata finally got on the board in the top of the 4th on a pair of hits, an error and a sacrifice to take a 3-0 lead. Brashear got 2 runs in the bottom of the 6th and the tying run in the bottom of the 7th, but left the bases loaded without scoring the winning run. Both teams went in order in the 8th, but LaPlata's Elizabeth Janes led off the 9th with a triple and scored on an error to give LaPlata a 4-3 lead. Meredith Thomas led off the Brashear half of the 9th with a double and scored the tying run on a Cierra Hines 2-out single. Alexa Acton came to the plate next and hit a slow grounder to short. The throw to 1st came too late and in the dirt allowing Acton to reach safely while Cierra Hines sprinted home with the winning run. The final score in 9 innings was 5-4. Cierra Hines had 4 hits for Brashear, Meredith Thomas had 3, Katie Smith had 2, and Alexa Acton, Nikkie Moncrief, and Kristen Love also had hits. Mallory Eitel, Rachel Shahan, Makay Belt, Elizabeth Janes, and Morgan Kimmel had hits for LaPlata. Cierra Hines was the winning pitcher with Makay Belt taking the loss.

The baseball game was never in doubt as LaPlata scored 7 runs in the top of the 1st, 2 in the 2nd, 6 in the 3rd, 3 in the 4th and another in the 5th to claim a 19-2 win. Hayden Housman scored both runs for Brashear. Housman singled and scored in the 1st, then belted a solo homer in the 3rd for Brashear's only other run. Housman had Brashear's only 2 hits. For LaPlata, Travis Clay, Tanner Riggins, Jake Waddle, Justin Riggins, Matt Safely, Baylon Belt, and Nathan Peterson all had hits. Nick Thomas got the start for Brashear giving up 2 earned runs in 3 innings with Hayden Housman pitching 2 innings of relief, also giving up 2 earned runs. Tanner Riggins got the win for LaPlata, striking out 8 and giving up 2 earned runs.