In a back and forth battle on Friday, the Lady Panthers of Pine Grove used a big 6th inning to take a come from behind 5-4 win over the Ripley Lady Tigers.
The game started out with runs being at a premium, as Ripley struck first with Allyson Christmas coming around to score in the top of the first inning. Pine Grove used their own speedy center fielder to tied the game up at 1-1 in the bottom of the second as Jazzie Smithey walked, stole second and then scored using a great slide into home on a fielders choice.
Neither team was able to produce any runs until the 5th inning when Chatrea Wallace scored Ella Shackelford on an infield single for a 2-1 Ripley lead.
Ripley takes a 2-1 lead over Pine Grove in the top of the 5th. Ella Shackelford comes in to score on this ball in play pic.twitter.com/ShCCgX3sMH
The 6th inning is when the fireworks really started though.
The Lady Tigers got the scoring going in the top half of the inning on a Janna Johnson solo homerun, the first of her career. Shackelford then picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly to give Ripley a 4-1 lead.
The Lady Panthers had mustered just a single hit to that point, but they saved their firepower until their final turn at bat.
Lexi Beard started the inning off with a single to right field and then Ellie Fryar doubled to left. With a pair of runners in scoring position, Madison Foster then doubled to center field with a sharply hit ball over the head of Christmas.
Smithey then gave Pine Grove what turned out to be the winning runs on a 2-run homer to left.
Just like that Pine Grove is back in the lead. Jazzy Smithey cranks a missile for a 2 run homer. PG leads Ripley 5-4 bottom 6 pic.twitter.com/U5TqWWMOpf
Lizzie Meeks, who started the game but was relieved after the 4th inning by Memory Mauney, came in to close the game out in the 7th. The Lady Panthers got another big play from Smithey, who threw out Genesis Prather at home plate to help preserve the Pine Grove win.
Kemya McDonald and Chatrea Wallace led Ripley with 2 hits each. Jada Ellis added a double.
Kassie McKenzie took the loss for the Lady Tigers, who fell to 2-2 on the year.
