By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director
CEDAR BLUFF – Sand Rock softball coach Josh Bates said his team is trying to find its identity. The Lady Wildcats took a major step toward discovering who they are at Cedar Bluff on Tuesday.
Aliyah King sparked Sand Rock’s offense with a lead off home run to center field, and the hits kept on coming in a 13-10 area win.
The Lady Wildcats (3-10) scored in every inning, then held off a late Cedar Bluff (4-8) rally to earn the win.
“I told them coming in it was going to be a back-and-forth game, and we were going to have to try our best to add every inning,” Bates said. “We did a good job of getting timely hits when we had people in scoring positions. That’s great. I’m proud for our girls and what they were able to accomplish.”
Sand Rock built a 7-2 lead, thanks largely to a four-run top of the third inning. The Lady Wildcats batted around and chased Cedar Bluff starting pitcher Kaylyn Vadon from the game. The big hits of the inning came on a double to right by Alyvia McMichen and a two-run single to center by Macy Martin.
After Cedar Bluff got a run back in the bottom of the third to make it a 7-3 game, but Sand Rock added two unearned runs on wild pitches to take a 9-3 edge.
But the Lady Tigers made things interesting in the bottom half of the fourth. They batted around and scored four runs to make it a 9-7 game.
Jaycee Cagle and Paityn Walker delivered run-scoring doubles. Rylie Walker and Tylee Bradford belted run-scoring singles to cut Cedar Bluff’s deficit to a pair of runs.
Sand Rock responded with a run in the top of the fifth, two more in the top of the sixth and one in the seventh to take a seemingly comfortable 13-7 lead, but the Lady Tigers had one last rally in them.
With one out the bottom of the seventh, Logan Goza and Paityn Walker both singled, bringing leadoff batter Kylie Vadon up to the plate. She smacked a three-run homer to left off Sand Rock’s Sipsy to make it a three-run game. Sipsy dug in to finish retiring the side on a pair of pop ups for the final.
“We just weren’t able to get it going until it was too late,” Cedar Bluff coach Mandy Walker said. “I think our bats are big enough to play with anybody, but we’ve just got to keep the right mentality going forward.”
Molly Grace Lay led the Lady Wildcats at the plate by going 3-for-5 with a run. Alyvia McMichen went 2-for-5 with a double and three runs. Sipsy was 2-for-3 with a double two walks, two runs and a RBI. Macy Martin went 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs.
King homered, walked, drove in a pair of runs and scored two runs. Addisyn McMichen walked twice, scored two runs and had two RBIs. Aubie Camp walked and drove in two runs. Maddie Clanton and Taylyn Warren both walked and scored a run. Madison Walker also scored a run.
“We’re rolling the ball well,” Bates said. “Any time you’re rolling the ball you’re going to get a chance. I think this was a big step for our confidence and for our girls to believe.”
Sipsy earned the win for Sand Rock after working 6 2/3 innings. She gave up eight earned runs on 12 hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Martin worked 1/3 of an inning. She gave up two earned runs on four hits with no walks and no strikeouts.
Cagle collected three hits, including a double, with three RBIs for Cedar Bluff. Paityn Walker was 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and a RBI. Kylie Vadon went 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs and three RBIs. Rylie Walker was 2-for-4, three runs and a RBI. Ciana Smith went 2-for-5 with a run and a RBI.
Tylee Bradford was 2-for-4 with a walk and a RBI. Goza was also 2-for-4
Makayla Kimmons scored two runs and Anna Henderson finished with a walk.
Kaylyn Vadon suffered the loss for the Lady Tigers after tossing three innings. She gave up five earned runs on four hits with six walks and a pair of strikeouts.
Mackenzie Kimmons worked four innings and allowed two earned runs on six hits with three walks and no strikeouts.
Cedar Bluff travels to Gaston on Thursday. Sand Rock entertains Spring Garden.
