In season’s toughest test to date, Trenton grinds out 3-1 win over rival Penney

The Trenton Lady Bulldogs, after steamrolling through two Grand River Conference games last week, met an always-tough Penney Lady Hornets squad on Monday afternoon at Mark Griffin Memorial Field.  In a contest broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7 and KGOZ-TV, Trenton’s potent offense was silenced for four innings by Penney freshman Greycen Prothero, only to come off the deck with three fifth inning runs, enough for a 3-1 win.

Trenton had a chance to open the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, but a pop-up behind third base by Salem Croy was snared by Hornet shortstop Mati Park, who threw a strike to catcher Ali Trosper to throw out Ainsley Tolson at home plate for a double play.

Tolson fired zero’s at Hamilton in the early innings, retiring the first eight Hornet batters, five by strikeout, before needing to escape a two-on, two-out jam in the third, forcing a ground-out to sophomore shortstop Mykah Hurley.

With the score tied at zero’s in the bottom of the fifth inning, Trenton loaded the bases via a fielding error, followed by back-to-back walks with one out.  A strikeout by Prothero nearly got the freshman out of the inning unscathed, but Croy’s blooper to left drove in Tenna Roberts and Mykah Hurley.  A Jaylen Neff single to right field sent Lexi Whitaker home with the third run of the inning.

Penney scored the first run given up all season by Tolson in the top of the 6th inning, with Mati Park driven in on a one-out single by Gillian Gibler.  Hurley made the defensive play of the game on the next batter, ranging to the third base hole to make a diving catch of a Prothero blooper.  From the seat of her pants, Hurley threw a strike across the diamond to Whitley Richman to double up Gibler.

Hamilton went down in order in the seventh, as Tolson finished with a complete game three-hitter in earning the win.  The sophomore struck out nine batter in improving to 3-0.  Penney, now 1-2 on the season, will jump into KCI Conference play on Thursday night, hosting Lawson. Trenton will play at Gallatin on Tuesday night at 5:30, in GRC contest #3, with coverage on Hot Country Z 101.7 hitting the air at 5:20.

Other softball scores into the KTTN/KGOZ sports office for Monday night are:

Milan 12, Brashear 2

Princeton 4, Mercer 3

DeKalb 7, Braymer 6

Putnam County 7, Marceline 6

Polo 7, Stewartsville 4

Maryville 17, Worth County 2

Stanberry 6, East Buchanan 3

Higginsville 7, Lawson 6

Carrollton 10, Fayette 4