The Lady Vikings varsity softball team made it a perfect 3 for 3 on the week with an impressive 7-3 conference win Friday afternoon over the Hendersonville Lady Bearcats.Pitching and defense ruled the day through the first three innings of action. Avery finally broke the ice in the bottom of the fourth inning with a five-run, five-hit burst. Kayley Davis hit a 2-run double to put the Big Red on the board. Amber Clark rapped an RBI single later in the frame to score Davis and put Avery up 3-0. Morgan Yackey followed up with a two-run double to account for the quintet of Lady Viking runs.
Hendersonville refused to give in as they rallied in the top of the fifth to score three runs on three hits and a walk and cut the Viking advantage to 5-3. As rain began to fell, the Lady Vikings pushed across a run in the bottom of the fifth to lead 6-3 when Justina Rieger walked and scored on an RBI groundout from Jessica Banner.
Avery starter Morgan Yackey held Hendersonville scoreless over the final three innings of play. Meanwhile, the Big Red added a seventh insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Becca Biggerstaff singled and scored on a Yackey RBI single, providing for the final margin of victory.
“I thought our defense and pitching were keys to getting the win today against Hendersonville. We completed a critical double play in the first inning to include throwing a runner out at the plate, started by a good outfield throw from Amber Clark hitting the cutoff. Our center infield was very good during the game with Sam Shook at shortstop recording three assists and a put out, Kaylea Davis at second recorded three putouts and an assist, and Morgan Yackey recording three assists from the pitching mound,” Avery head softball coach Merritt Yackey stated after the win.
“Morgan did a good job on the mound hitting spots and getting eight strikeouts while only issuing one walk. Her change up was effective and working today. Becca Biggerstaff also made an excellent play from centerfield throwing out a batter at second trying to stretch a single into a double. This was a great week for Avery softball, winning all three games with two of them being in conference.”
The Lady Vikings return to the diamond this week when they host Polk County this afternoon (Tuesday), and will also square off with the Madison Lady Patriots on April 30th.
