SUBMITTED BY BRIDGEPORT MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHING STAFF

 

The Bridgeport Softball Field, located behind Bridgeport Middle School, was a busy place Tuesday afternoon and evening. Two games were played there as part of the Harrison County Middle School Softball Championship Tournament.

 

The first game was an opening round game between Mountaineer Middle School and South Harrison Middle School. In that game, the Lady Hawks defeated the Lady Mountain Lions by the score of 11-3. With their win, South Harrison advanced to the semi-final game against the Bridgeport Middle School where the Braves would win, ironically, by the same 11-3 score.

 

In the SHMS first, they scored one run on three consecutive singles after two were out.

 

The Lady Braves responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first. Leadoff hitter Corinne Lalama tripled and came around to score when Paige Humble hit a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield. Shea Hefner followed by reaching base on a SHMS infield error. Hefner then stole second and moved to third on a flyout centerfield. She crossed the plate with BMS’ second run on a wild pitch.

 

BMS extended its lead in the bottom of the third. Lalama reached second on a two-base infield error. Humble grounded out to first and that moved Lalama to third. Hefner singled to score Lalama. One out later, Katie Via singled and Hefner took third. Olivia Kesling singled to bring home Hefner with the Lady Braves fourth run. After three innings, BMS had a 4-1 lead.

 

In the SHMS fourth, the Lady Hawks cut into the BMS lead via a leadoff single and a two-out double.

 

Starting pitcher Johnna Hull singled to start the bottom of the fourth.  Ashley Hart then doubled to score Hull. Hart was thrown out at third on a close play as she attempted to extend her hit into a triple. Lalama followed with a double and scored one out later on another double by Hefner. Lyda Sandy brought home Hefner with a single. After four innings, BMS was on top 7-2.

 

The Lady Hawks scored one more run in the fifth on a solo homerun to cut the Lady Braves lead to 7-3.

 

In the bottom of the fifth, Makenzie Earp started the frame with a wall and then stole second base. Hull then reached first on a fielder’s choice. Hart singled to load the bases. Lalama hit a grounder to third that retired Hull at third base with Earp scoring on the play. Humble doubled to score Hart and Lalama. Humble moved to third on a wild pitch. One out later, Lyda Sandy doubled to score Humble and give BMS a 11-3 lead. The game was officially over at that point due to the mercy rule.

 

Hull pitched a complete game victory for the Lady Braves. In her five innings of work, Hull gave up 3 runs, 8 hits, walked 0, and struck out 2.

 

The win puts the BMS Lady Braves in to this year’s championship softball game.

 

In the other semi-final contest of the day, the Lincoln Middle School defeated Notre Dame by the score of 7-4. The win also puts the LMS Wildcats into the championship game.

 

Lincoln will serve as the home team for the championship game as the Wildcats are the higher seed in the tournament. For the third year in row, LMS and BMS will play middle school softball championship.

 

The championship game will be played this afternoon at 5 p.m.