The Trenton Lady Bulldogs, aiming to win their first Grand River Conference game on Tuesday night, suffered a slow start against Milan, with the visiting Lady ‘Cats scoring two runs in the top of the first inning off of starting pitcher Emma Roberts. Three batters into the bottom of the first inning, after base hits by Chandler Lynch and Gracyn Rongey, Maci Moore hit a long home run to left, giving Trenton a 3-2 lead, and giving the Lady Bulldogs slumbering offense a boost.
A high-scoring affair would follow, with the Lady Bulldogs, able to work their way around five errors, and eight walks from the young pitching staff, able to outscore the Lady ‘Cats 10-8, in a game lasting just over two hours, broadcast on KTTN FM 92.3.
Trenton’s 3-2 lead proved to be brief, with Milan grabbing back the advantage with a pair of third-inning runs. However, Trenton scored two runs to regain the advantage, then added what would be critical insurance runs, scoring single runs in the 4th and 6th innings, and three runs in the fifth. Milan tightened the game late, with three runs in the 6th inning and one in the 7th, before a pop-out to Teya Cooksey ended the Lady ‘Cats comeback attempts.
Trenton, in scoring 10 runs, was able to dent the recent run of strong performances by Milan’s Cady Pauley, a stretch that included a pair of 2-0 GRC wins (over South Harrison and Princeton) and a Saturday no-hitter against Green City. Against Trenton, Pauley gave up eight hits, with eight of the ten runs earned. Pauley walked six and struck out 11 batters. For Trenton, Roberts went a total of 4 1/3 innings, earning both a win and a hold, giving up seven hits and five runs, two of those earned, with two walks and three strikeouts. Working in relief, Jenna Reeter looked strong in the middle innings, but lost the strike zone in Milan’s three-run sixth, finishing her night with 2 2/3 innings, four hits allowed, three runs, all earned, with six free passes, and five strikeouts.
For Milan, freshman shortstop Avery Pickering was two-for-five with two runs scored. Danielle Henry three-for-five with 3 RBI’s, with Auburn Cole putting together a 3-for-5 game, with an RBI and a run scored. The loss drops Milan’s overall record to 5-7, dropping the Lady ‘Cats to 2-4 in the Grand River Conference.
Trenton had a three-for-four, two run, one RBI game from Chandler Lynch. Gracyn Rongey was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs, with Chloe Harris adding a run and an RBI, while Madi Moore drove in a pair. The Lady Bulldogs improve to 2-7 overall and 1-4 in the GRC. Milan is next in action on Wednesday night, traveling to rival Putnam County for a 5:30 first pitch, with Trenton hosting Princeton on Thursday night at 5:30 to continue action in the GRC.
Princeton joined Trenton in earning its first conference win on Tuesday night, defeating Polo 3-1. Junior Lauren Krohn had a strong night in the pitching circle and with the bat for the Lady Tigers, with a complete-game five-hitter and 10 strikeouts with the arm, and, with the bat, 3 hits in four at-bats. Megan Spencer added a pair of hits for Princeton in the victory.
Polo opened the scoring with an RBI double in the top of the 1st inning by Kayla Larkin, with Krohn slamming the door from there. Princeton tied the game at 1-1 in the 3rd inning on a Spencer RBI double. Spencer added a second RBI on a fielder choice grounder in the fifth inning, scoring the eventual game-winning run, giving the Lady Tigers, at the time, a 2-1 advantage.
Hanna Vaught took the tough-luck loss for Polo, allowing eight hits and three runs over six innings, striking out one batter. Princeton’s defense was superb in the victory, going without an error, as Alison Allen led the Lady Tigers with 11 put-outs in as many chances.
Here is the softball scoreboard from September 22, 2020:
South Harrison 5, Gallatin 3
Maysville 7, Putnam County 1
Cameron 4, Mid-Buchanan 1
Chillicothe 14, Maryville 3
Hamilton 2, St. Joseph Lafayette 1
Stanberry 7, Pattonsburg 0
North Platte 16, North Andrew 3
Tina-Avalon 13, Hardin-Central 4
Platte Valley 8, Stewartsville-Osborn 5
Atlanta 3, Brashear 1
Kirksville 6, Marshall 4
Kirksville 11, Marshall 1
Marceline 12, Westran 0
