Cherokee – Cherokee jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the 1st inning Thursday. The Braves held the lead until the 3rd when the Lady Devils bats came alive. Swain scored 5 runs in the 3rd to take the lead and added 5 more runs to take an eventual 10-5 win over Cherokee.
Swain pitcher Stacey Griggs struggled in the 1st, walking 3 batters to go along with 3 wild pitches. After the 1st Griggs settled into rhythm walking only 3 batters over the next 6 innings. Cherokee managed only 3 hits the rest of the game. Griggs finished with 7 strikeouts in 7 innings of work.
The Lady Devils offense sprang to life in the top of the 3rd. Senior Grace Cabe opened the inning with a solid single, then promptly stole 2nd and 3rd. Kenzie Eagleman walked. During Eagleman’s at bat Cabe scored on a passed ball. Eagleman worked her way around the bases on wild pitches, eventually scoring on a Shayne Catolster ground out. Alissa Smith and Kyndle Jones kept the inning alive with back-to-back singles. Smith scored when Stacey Griggs doubled to deep centerfield. Jones would score on Alyssa Haymond’s ground out. Griggs, who advanced on Jones’ ground out, scored on a passed ball one batter later.
Swain added to their lead in the 4th as Eagleman reached on an error and scored when Shayne Catolster doubled.
After going quietly in the 5th the Lady Devils scored 4 more runs in the 6th. Ashton Younce opened the inning with a solid single, and advanced when Kendall Bowers grounded out. Gracie Edwards reached after being hit by a pitch, leaving runners on 1st and 2nd. Kenzie Eagleman then blasted a 3-run home run to deep right center, scoring Younce and Edwards. One batter later Alissa Smith hit her 1st home run of the season, a solo shot to left field.
Both Smith and Eagleman were 2-3 on the day, each with a home run, Eagleman drove in 3 and scored 3 times. Shayne Catolster had a pair of rbi, while Alyssa Haymond was 2-4 with an rbi.