The Trenton Lady Bulldog softball team scored four runs in one inning to take a 4-0 win over the Lady Hornets in Hamilton Thursday night.
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Trenton’s offense came to life in the fifth inning when Aimee Gutshall led off with a double. Amber Maberry then singled and a fielding error allowed Gutshall to score, giving the Lady Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth. JaNea Whitney then drove Maberry in with a single. Whitney would then score when Lindsey Derry doubled.
Trenton got its final run of the game when Emily Anderson hit a shot off the top of the fence for a ground-rule double that scored Tasha Hutchinson, who was running for Derry.
That would be the only inning the Lady Bulldog offense could push a run across the plate, but pitcher Aubrey Utley made sure the four-run outburst in the fifth was all they needed to seal their 18th win of the year.
Utley pitched her sixth complete game shutout of the year, allowing no runs on just two hits. Utley did walk three to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but struck out three in a row to finish out the game. She struck out a total of 15 Lady Hornets in the game, moving her record-breaking season total to 252.
Whitney led the offense statistically, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored and stole four bases on the night.
Derry and Anderson were both 1-for-4 with RBI doubles and Gutshall and Maberry each had one hit and a run scored. Other Lady Bulldogs with hits in the contest included Crystal Pash, Tasha Ewing and Samantha Fair.
“This was an important win for us heading into districts,” Head Coach Steve Richman said. “It’s very possible we could see Hamilton again in the district tournament and having a win over them already is a good confidence booster for the girls.”
The Lady Bulldogs advanced to 18-4 on the season and will be back in action Monday, when they host Chillicothe at Griffin Field in Trenton.
The junior varsity was in action following the varsity game, where they suffered a 5-1 loss.
The JV scored their run when Sam Hudson drove in Erika Ebersold with a hit. C.J. Tate also had a hit in the contest.
Rebekah Capeder pitched, allowing five hits while striking out one and walking one.
The JV dropped to 9-8 on the season and will be in action against Chillicothe Monday night following the varsity game for what will be their last regular game of the season.
The THS Lady Bulldogs have drawn the number one seed in next week’s district tournament and will play their first game on Thursday, taking on the winner of the Hamilton-Lathrop contest. The tournament is being played at Maysville.