Frankfort hosted Boyle County Tuesday night for double-header action, and when the final play was made the Lady Rebels had swept the Lady Panthers.
In the first game, Boyle County went into the seventh inning trailing by a run but came out on top 4-3. In the second game, errors allowed the Lady Rebels to get past the Lady Panthers 10-3.
Game 1
Boyle Co. 4, Frankfort 3
Mattie Hutcherson had her first varsity start in the pitcher's circle and impressed FHS coach Jody Hellard by pitching seven innings and giving up nine hits and four runs.
The Lady Rebels got up to a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, but in the bottom of the sixth the Lady Panthers (7-13) had some production at the plate. Tessa Barnes walked and Heather Brewer doubled.
Cassie Aldridge's two-RBI double tied the game up at 2, and Mattie Hutcherson's RBI double put Frankfort up by one run.
"Mattie did a nice job. They had a lead on us, but we hit the ball in the sixth inning to take the lead away from them," Hellard said, "and then they came back in the top of the seventh and took the lead back. We couldn't respond, so we let that one get away from us.
"Their pitching is a little slower than we're used to, but that's no excuse (because) you have to adjust and hit it. They adjusted to our pitching. We struggled at the plate, that's for sure."
Game 2
Boyle Co. 10, Frankfort 3
Miscues characterized the second game and the Lady Panthers continued to struggle at the plate. Reed had a single and a double, Shelby Aldridge had a double, and Hutcherson had a single.
The Lady Panthers had five errors in the first game, but committed 11 in the second.
"We weren't focused and we didn't play. We played well in the first game, though we should have hit the ball better. In the second game, we didn't play well offensively or defensively. We didn't show up," Hellard said.
In the bottom of the second inning, Karmen Morton reached on an error by Boyle County's second baseman and Shelby Aldridge doubled. Abigail Gall reached first on a fielder's choice, but Emily Woolum threw home to put Morton out.
Jessica Sutton sacrificed Shelby Aldridge home, but Gall was thrown out at home to end the inning with Frankfort up 1-0.
Haley Hellyer, Woolum and Emily Donlon each singled in the top of the third inning to load the bases.
Kylee Talbot singled in a run, Woolum scored on a passed ball and Emily Anderson's sacrifice play scored Donlon. The Lady Rebels (14-9) scored one more run before Reed caught a pop-up to get
Frankfort out of the inning.
Reed started the Lady Panthers off with a double in the bottom of the fourth; Hutcherson's sacrifice bunt advanced her to third and Morton's sacrifice play brought in another run to put Frankfort within two runs of Boyle County.
The Lady Rebels scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to get up 7-2. In the bottom of the sixth, Morton singled and reached second on an error, and Hutcherson, who had singled to left field previously, reached third and then scored on the same error.
Frankfort managed to score one more run in that inning, but the Lady Rebels scored three runs in the top of the seventh for the 10-4 win.
Hellard said the game was a learning experience for the district tournament. He also praised the efforts of some of his players. "We have people like Abigail who has played about every position and does a good job at every one of them. It's hard to move around like that," he said.
"It makes it tough with injuries, but she's young and does a good job. Cassie wanted to try pitching, but we'll give her a few days off (because of her injury)."
>FHS traveled to Berea Monday night and came away with a 9-7 victory.
Berea struck first, scoring a run in the bottom of the second, but FHS responded with four runs in the top of the third on singles by Tessa Barnes, Heather Brewer and Cassie Aldridge, a walk, and a triple by Mattie Hutcherson to make the score 4-1.
In the top of the fourth, FHS scored four more runs on singles by Amanda Hutcherson, Jessica Sutton, Barnes and Lakan Reed, a walk, and a double by Aldridge. Berea scored 2 runs in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 8-3.
In the top of the fifth, Frankfort scored one run on singles by Mattie Hutcherson and Karmen Morton. In the bottom of the inning, Berea scored two runs to make the score 9-5.
Berea scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to close the gap to 9-7, but that would be as close as the Lady Pirates would get.
Aldridge pitched the first two innings getting five strikeouts, allowing two hits and one unearned run before giving way to Mattie Hutcherson after turning her ankle. Hutcherson picked up the win by pitching the last five innings. She had three strikeouts, allowed eight hits, one walk, four earned runs, and two unearned runs.
Those with hits for Frankfort were Aldridge with a double and two singles, Mattie Hutcherson with a triple and single, Barnes with two singles, and Brewer, Reed, Morton, Amanda Hutcherson and Sutton each with a sngle.