By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director
CEDAR BLUFF – In their two previous meetings this softball season, Sand Rock and Cedar Bluff have played each other down to the wire.
Their third meeting on Thursday was no different. Neither was the result.
Emma Sipsy delivered a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, including a 3-run homer to left field in the top of the fifth inning. She also doubled, walked, scored five runs, and had six RBIs.
Molly Grace Lay went 4-for-4, including a crucial two-run double to right in the seventh. She also walked twice, scored two runs, and drove in four runs to help the Lady Wildcats outlast Cedar Bluff 20-15.
The win sets seventh-ranked Sand Rock (13-7) up in prime position down the stretch of the regular season to host the upcoming Class 2A, Area 13 tournament.
“I knew coming in it was going to be a war,” Sand Rock coach Josh Bates said. “We scored four (runs) early, but then we kind of had a little bit of a lull until the fourth. We finally started getting some more runs.
“You’ve just got to score against them because they’re going to put it in play. They’re going to put pressure on us, and we were not playing the best defense cleanly. I knew we had to keep putting runs up to have a chance to win.”
Leading 13-10 in the top of the sixth, Sipsy blasted her 3-run homer to seemingly give Sand Rock a comfortable six-run advantage. The Lady Wildcats added another insurance run in the inning to go up 17-10.
“It was an inside pitch. I think it was a fastball because it didn’t really have spin on it,” Sipsy said on her homer. “What I’m looking for (in that situation) is a hard base hit, drive it in the gap, and score the runs. If it goes out, it goes out.”
But Cedar Bluff (5-9) matched Sand Rock’s four-run sixth in the bottom half of the inning to cut the lead to 17-14. Three of those runs were charged to Sipsy, who started the game in the circle.
“They caught up to me,” Sipsy said. “I told Coach Bates to change their eyes. Let them see Macy (Martin). If they hit off her, then I can come back in, and that’s what we did.”
The strategy worked.
Martin threw 1 2/3 innings and allowed no earned runs on a hit with a strikeout.
Sipsy ended up earning the win in the circle for Sand Rock after tossing 5 1/3 innings and gave up six earned runs on 10 hits with no walks and five strikeouts.
Aubie Camp went 3-for-5 with a walk and scored five runs for the Lady Wildcats. Martin was 3-for-6 with two runs.
Alyvia McMichen had a pair of hits, including a double, with two runs and two RBIs. Madison Walker also delivered a pair of hits with two walks and a run.
Taylyn Warrern doubled and drove in a pair of runs. Kinzlee Peek walked twice, scored a run, and had three RBIs. Ashlyn McMichen scored a pair of runs.
Kylie Vadon, Rylie Walker, CeCe Davis, and Kyriah Vadon each had a pair of hits for Cedar Bluff.
Kylie Vadon doubled and scored three runs. Walker tripled, scored two runs, and had a RBI. Davis scored three runs. Kyriah Vadon scored twice and had four RBIs.
Mia Wood doubled and scored a run. Ciana Smith had a hit and two RBIs. Paityn Walker finished with a hit, a run and a RBI.
Mackenzie Kimmons suffered the loss for the Lady Tigers after tossing 4 2/3 innings. She allowed five earned runs on 10 hits with six walks and four strikeouts.
Kyriah Vadon worked 2 1/3 innings. She allowed seven earned runs on eight hits with two walks and a strikeout.
“I’m proud of my girls’ resilience tonight, staying in it and making plays,” Cedar Bluff coach Mandy Walker said. “You take back those errors we made in the first (inning) and it could’ve been a different outcome, but I can’t ask for better effort. Today just proved over and over again if we stay in it and stay focused we can continue to come back from anything.”
