The Chillicothe Lady Hornets scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning, with 3 of the 4 hits picked up in the frame not leaving the infield, in a 3-0 victory over Trenton on Monday night, broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7.
Trenton, looking for a quick start in its “Senior Night” game against the rival Hornets, loaded the bases with a pair of singles and a walk in the bottom of the 1st inning, but Chillicothe starter Jylian Davis, with a strikeout and come-backer to the circle, escaped the jam. With Ainsley Tolson retiring Chillicothe 9 up, 9 down through the first three innings (six by strikeout), Trenton had a chance to grab the lead in the bottom of the 3rd inning, as a one-out double by Mykah Hurley was followed two batters later by a single to left by Maci Moore, but Molly Jones threw out Hurley at the plate, keeping the game tied 0-0.
Chillicothe opened the pivotal fourth inning with a bunt single by Libby Adkins, followed by an infield single by Harlie Jones. A sacrifice bunt by Abby Jones moved both runners up a base, with Molly Jones driving in Adkins with a hard smash off the glove of Trenton first baseman Sidney Lynch. After Jones stole second, Maddi Graham laced a single into the hole between Lynch and second baseman Jayden Roeder, driving in two runs.
Trenton was able to load the bases with two hits in the fourth, on singles by Sidney Lynch and Jayden Roeder, combined with a walk to McKayla Blackburn, but a ground ball to shortstop Maddi Graham ended the threat.
Jylian Davis went the first four innings for Chillicothe and earned the victory, dancing in and out of trouble, as the Lady Hornets improve to 18-6 on the season. Molly Jones came in from left field to pitch the final three innings, and game up only a lead-off single in the 7th inning to Ashten Whitaker, earning the save. Ainsley Tolson took the hard-luck loss for THS, allowing only five hits and striking out 11 batters in seven innings of work.
Trenton, leaving 8 runners stranded in the game, had an 18 game winning streak snapped. The Lady Bulldogs, #1 seed in Class 2, District 15, are now 21-2 on the season. Trenton will host districts, with the Lady Bulldogs semifinal game slated for Thursday afternoon at 5 against either Carrollton or South Harrison. Chillicothe, a #3 seed in Class 3, District 15, will play Kirksville in a semifinal game on Thursday at Boonville.
The junior varsity game went the visitors from Chillicothe, 6-3, with Trenton ending its season with a mark of 10-2-1.
Like their varsity counterparts, the Bulldog JV missed an opportunity to score in the home 1st, leaving Blackburn stranded at second base and Kennedy Norton at first. THS opened the scoring with a second inning tally, as Sidney Lynch drove in Chloe Harris with a single. The Hornets tied the game in a single tally in the 4th, and, in the decisive inning of the game, added five more runs in the 5th. The Lady Bulldogs attempted to rally in the bottom of the 5th, with Kennedy Norton driving in Lexi Whitaker, and Mackenzie McAtee sending Norton to the plate, but the uprising ended three runs short of its goal.
Blackburn fired three scoreless innings for Trenton, giving up two hits, a walk, while striking out three batters. Jillian Nichols pitched two innings, giving up six runs on seven hits, walking four.
For the Chillicothe JV, Mollie Ellis earned the victory with five innings from the pitching circle, striking out three batters. Ellis added a triple with the bat, while Lexi Walker and Kennedy Corzette each had doubles.
Other scores from Monday night’s softball action were:
Meadville 11, Grundy County 1 (BASEBALL : Meadville 9, Grundy County 9 (9 innings))
Novinger 16, Tri-County 11
Princeton 28, Winston 0
Penney 6, Cameron 0
Plattsburg 8, Maysville 3
Brookfield 12, Milan 5
