The Trenton High School girls softball team lost a tough defensive struggle with St. Joseph LeBlond on Thursday, 2-1.
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Trenton’s lone run came in the first inning as Trisha Ireland scored on a passed ball.
“We pitched well and except for one play, I thought our defense played well,” Head Coach Lyle Best said.
Aubrey Utley was again strong for the Lady Bulldogs in the pitching circle. Utley allowed three hits and two walks while striking out 10 batters.
In the top of the fifth inning, LeBlond’s number nine batter, Lorenz, crushed a 2-1 pitch over the center field fence for a home run.
“She killed it. Not very often will a number nine hitter do that,” Best said.
The Lady Bulldogs threatened two other times. THS had a pair of runners thrown out at the plate. The Lady Bulldogs put the pressure on LeBlond in the bottom of the seventh inning, opening the inning with a walk. Shatara Prescott entered the game as a pinch runner and stole second base.
Ireland came to the plate with one out and Prescott in scoring position. Ireland, after falling behind 1-2, fouled off a series of pitches before shooting the ball between the first and second basemen for a hit.
Prescott tried to score from second but was thrown out by the right fielder. Ireland moved up to second on the throw home. However, with two outs, the Lady Bulldogs could not muster another hit.
LeBlond took advantage of Trenton’s only error of the game in the top of the eighth inning to score the go-ahead run. THS could not score in their half of the inning and lost by one.
Ireland finished the game with a pair of singles, a run scored and three stolen bases. Tasha Hutchinson had a single and a walk. Taby Winters had a single and two stolen bases. Emily Anderson had a stolen base and Prescott added a stolen base.
“We made some improvement on the bases, but we made a couple of costly mistakes,” Best said. “We will work on it and will continue to improve.”
The Lady Bulldogs fall to 4-6 and will play in the North Central Missouri College Nan Carter Red & White Softball Tournament over the weekend at the Ebbe Sports Complex.
THS Junior Varsity
The THS junior varsity won a 3-2 decision over LeBlond. Tasha Hutchinson walked and scored a run. Amber Maberry had a hit. Kayna Tolle and Shatara Prescott each scored a run.