Unconventional, unexpected, wind-swept.
Any of those could be used to describe Monday afternoon’s softball action between the home standing Cave Spring Knights and visiting Patrick County Cougars.
Giving up a game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh that forced extra innings, Patrick County put on a hitting clinic in the top of the eighth to pull out the 12-5 win over the Knights.
It was a tough-luck loss for Cave Spring, which had twice battled back from deficits late in the game.
Patrick County was on cruise control heading to the Knights half of the fifth, after scoring two runs in the third inning and adding another on doubles by Morgan Biggs and Morgan Hughes in the top of the fifth for a 3-0 lead. Meanwhile, Cougar starter Cassidy Largen had throttled the Knights from the circle, giving up only two hits to that point.
But, the swirling winds got in the action as Cave Spring batted in the fifth. Two straight batters were hit by a pitch and a single by Knight outfielder Lilly Mitchell loaded the bases. Senior Kinsey Overfelt followed with a towering drive to center that dove like a damaged kite for a hit as two runs scored, cutting the Cougar lead to 3-2. Mitchell and Overfelt each collected two hits for Cave Spring.
Cave Spring added two runs in the sixth in unconventional fashion after a hit batter, walk and fielders choice was followed by two straight wild pitches that each sent a Knight runner to the plate for a 4-3 Cave Spring lead.
Knight starter Brook Ludy was one out away from a win in the top of the seventh when Cougar Brandi Woods caught the wind napping, and launched the first pitch she saw over the right field fence for a 2-run homer to put Patrick County back on top 5-4. Woods had four hits on the afternoon.
Cave Spring responded in the bottom of the seventh when Taylor Loving singled home the tying run to send the game to extra innings.
Patrick County quickly took control in the first extra frame after they put runners at second and third with one out, then followed with seven straight singles to plate seven runs. Among that barrage was Savannah Moorefield’s third hit of the game.
Bill Turner
