Both the Avery and Cranberry Middle School softball teams were in action on Monday afternoon. Avery Middle School met a buzzsaw in the Cane River Lady Rebels, a talented team that often plays upwards of 100 games a year in traveling tournaments. The Lady Rebels were too tough to tame, as they defeated the Lady Panthers 15-0 in four innings.Avery had a hard time getting hits off the Lady Rebel pitcher, but broke through with a base hit from Nikki Wright. The team loaded the bases in the final inning of play, but could not plate a run.
"Our girls don't quit. We've still got some trouble in our outfield, giving up too many errors out there, but we're getting a little better each time," Avery head coach Luke Henderson remarked after the game. "We won a pair last week to get us back to .500. Today we didn't have the best effort, but we hung in and tried to do the best we could."
The Lady Panthers are 2-3 on the season, and play a doubleheader this afternoon at the Avery Little League field against East Yancey. The team hosts Harris for a game on Thursday afternoon and will take on Cranberry in a doubleheader to close regular season play on Monday.
Cranberry's Lady Wildcats softball squad turned in one of its best offensive showings of the season, but it was not enough to overcome a tough North Mitchell squad, falling in an 18-7 final score in five innings on Monday.
Avery's Holly Cook started on the mound and went the distance, mixing up pitches and striking out a number of North hitters. Cranberry made several outstanding plays in the field as well, including a perfect relay throw home on a hard hit ball which was caught by catcher Mariah Lusk, who then tagged out the North runner attempting to score.
A five-run top of the fifth inning by North Mitchell allowed the ten-run rule to be enforced if Cranberry could not get the scoring margin under ten runs by inning's end. Cranberry put a runner on in the bottom of the fifth, but could not score as North sealed the win.
The Cranberry Lady Wildcats continue to improve as the season progresses. "It's amazing. We can see the improvement at every base with every player," Cranberry head coach Angel Dugger remarked after the game. "Holly pitched well and didn't walk many players today, either. Kota Turbyfill made a lot of good stops and throws today, and our catcher Mariah Lusk did an awesome job."
Cranberry's next game will take place next Monday in a doubleheader against Avery to close the regular season.
Avery's Holly Cook started on the mound and went the distance, mixing up pitches and striking out a number of North hitters. Cranberry made several outstanding plays in the field as well, including a perfect relay throw home on a hard hit ball which was caught by catcher Mariah Lusk, who then tagged out the North runner attempting to score.
A five-run top of the fifth inning by North Mitchell allowed the ten-run rule to be enforced if Cranberry could not get the scoring margin under ten runs by inning's end. Cranberry put a runner on in the bottom of the fifth, but could not score as North sealed the win.
The Cranberry Lady Wildcats continue to improve as the season progresses. "It's amazing. We can see the improvement at every base with every player," Cranberry head coach Angel Dugger remarked after the game. "Holly pitched well and didn't walk many players today, either. Kota Turbyfill made a lot of good stops and throws today, and our catcher Mariah Lusk did an awesome job."
Cranberry's next game will take place next Monday in a doubleheader against Avery to close the regular season.
