The McCracken County Lady Mustangs kept the early season win streak alive in the program’s home opener at Baptist Health Field, hosting the Mayfield Lady Cardinals. In four innings, the Lady Mustangs collected win No. 8 this season with a 16-1 victory over Mayfield, collecting 16 hits overall.
With the win, head coach Tony Hayden is two games away from reaching 500 career wins as a softball coach during his time with Reidland and McCracken County, adding to his notable resume at the helm. Hayden sits at No. 498 ahead of this weekend’s contests in Carbondale.
“I feel blessed, I do,” Hayden said. “I’ve had some great pitchers, teams, and athletes; I can go down the line with them. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to do this. It’s been a ride. I didn’t think I would end up here, but I enjoy every minute of it.”
Freshman Addison Dudley earned the win for the Mustangs. The right-handed hurler pitched four innings, surrendering two hits and one run
“The biggest thing for us being at home is that we wanted to give Addison a good shot to see what she can do for seven innings,” Hayden said. “She threw well in Illinois, but this is at home and in front of a big crowd and a team we normally don’t play. Erik (Wilson) is doing a good job over there and wants to play. Besides the way Addison started, which was the nerves, she finished like she’s supposed to finish in the last three innings, so we’re pleased with that.”
Senior Jo Jo Fox worked the circle for Mayfield, taking the loss. The lefty worked three innings, allowing 13 hits, 14 runs (10 earned), and one strikeout. Marissa Lee and Lily Keeton appeared in relief for the Lady Cardinals.
McKenzie O’Brien went 3-for-3 for the Lady Mustangs. Savannah McDowell went 2-for-3 with a double and triple with four RBI. McCracken County’s Raygan Rodgers, Ellie Shoulders, and Macy Butler also went 2-for-3 in the contest.
Lex Feagin and Bella Wilson collected Mayfield’s two hits in the game.
The Lady Cardinals jumped on the board in the visiting half of the second inning. With bases loaded for Mayfield, Kaitlyn Simpson’s sacrifice fly sent Feagin home to score, giving the Cards a 1-0 lead. However, McCracken County ended the Mayfield threat as Dudley struck out the next batter to end the half inning.
McCracken County answered, plating two in the bottom half of the second inning. With two outs, Rodgers singled on a fly ball to right field, later scoring the equalizer on an RBI triple by McDowell. McDowell scored on the throw from right field, giving the Mustangs a 2-1 lead. O’Brien singled but was out on the base paths for leaving early.
Dudley faced three in the top of the third inning, sending the Lady Mustangs back to the dugout. In the home half of the inning, McCracken County added 12 more runs to the scoreboard. Butler kicked off the inning with a single before scoring on an RBI single by Shoulders to make it 3-1. The inning continued as Cami Cox singled to right field, sending Shoulders across home plate.
KG Walker singled, advancing Cox to scoring position before Addley Leidecker hit a ground ball and reached on an error by Mayfield, allowing Cox to score and Walker’s courtesy runner Skylar Clark to move to third base. With Cox scoring, the Mustangs took a 5-1 lead. Grace Henderson plated a perfect bunt down for a fielder’s choice, loading the bases with Henderson at first, Leidecker at second, and Clark at third.
The next batter, Rodgers, singled, allowing Clark and Leidecker to score. This gave McCracken County a 7-1 lead with zero outs in the home half of the inning. McDowell collected her second hit, a scorching double to left field to score two. McCracken County’s offense continued to dominate as O’Brien singled to left field, scoring McDowell to give the Lady Stangs a 10-1 lead. McCracken County moved to a 14-1 lead with two outs before the Cardinals escaped the inning.
Dudley continued to command the visiting half of the inning in the pitching circle, facing three batters with two flyouts and a strikeout. The Lady Mustangs added two more in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 16-1 game. An RBI single by Butler and a sacrifice fly by Cox allowed the Mustangs to claim the contest.
Lee worked less than an inning for Mayfield. She allowed one hit and one earned run. Keeton finished the contest for the Lady Cardinals, allowing two hits, one earned run and a walk.
UP NEXT: The McCracken County Lady Mustangs will travel to Carbondale over the weekend to face Carbondale and Goreville. The team will continue their season on the road with matchups against Crittenden County, Murray, and Henderson County before spending spring break in Alabama. Mayfield will host Fulton City Friday night before matchups with Ballard Memorial, Community Christian Academy, and Graves County before spring break.
MCCRACKEN COUNTY 16, MAYFIELD 1
MHS 0 1 0 0 X X X — 1-2-2
MCHS 0 2 12 2 X X — 16-16-0
WP: A. Dudley; LP: J. Fox
2B: MCHS — S. McDowell
3B: MCHS — S. McDowell
TB: MHS — B. Wilson 1, L. Feagin 1; MCHS — S. McDowell 5, A. Leidecker 3, M. O’Brien 3, E. Shoulders 2, M. Butler 2, R. Rodgers 2, A. West 1, C. Cox 1, G. Henderson 1, K. Walker 1
SF: MHS — K. Simpson; MCHS — C. Cox
HBP: MHS — J. Fox
SB: MCHS — E. Shoulders, M. Butler, M. O’Brien
E: MHS — K. Lancaster
RECORDS: Mayfield (3-5); McCracken County (8-0)