Lady Hornets hold on for win over Corning

Harrisburg (4-2) held off a late rally from Corning (6-2) to post a 14-11 win this past Thursday in Harrisburg.

The Lady Bobcats got a lead-off hit and added another hit with two outs before a line out left the runners on base. Addi Biggs led off with a triple for Harrisburg in the bottom half before Hannah Mross hit an inside the park home run to make it 2-0 Lady Hornets. Emma Massengill struck out looking, Sofie Mooney singled and stole second and third base before Chesney Henderson walked. Hawlee Morris looked at strike three, Callie Caldwell reached on a fielder's choice that plated Mooney making it 3-0 Harrisburg. Rylee Condra followed with a two-run single that scored Henderson and Caldwell to push the lead to 5-0. Madisyn Brazile tripled to score Condra making it 6-0 as Biggs was hit by a pitch. Biggs and Brazile pulled off a double steal with Brazile scoring to make it 7-0 Lady Hornets. Mross drew a two-out walk before Massengill grounded out to end the inning.

Corning got a runner on via an error with out before Morris struck out the next two batters. Harrisburg plated three more runs in the bottom of the second as Mooney walked leading off before Henderson reached on fielder's choice with both runners being safe. Mooney scored a passed ball to make it 8-0 before Caldwell singled to plate Henderson to make the score 9-0. Condra flew out as Caldwell scored on a wild pitch to make it 10-0. Brazile reached on an error and was thrown out trying to steal second base to end the inning. The Lady Bobcats used three hits and a passed ball to plate two runs in the top of the third inning to cut the lead to 10-2 Lady Hornets. Biggs struck out looking leading off for Harrisburg in the bottom half as Mross tripled to the fence in left-center. Massengill reached on a fielder's choice that scored Mross making it 11-2 only to see Mooney and Henderson both pop out to end the inning.

Hawlee Morris of Harrisburg delivers a pitch during game action against Corning this past Thursday. (Photo by Cosmo Cossey)

The Lady Bobcats went three up and three down in the top of the fourth as Harrisburg did the same in the bottom half as Morris struck out, Caldwell grounded out and Condra flew out. Corning plated three more runs in the top of the fifth with four hits and an error to make it 11-5 Lady Hornets before Harrisburg added three runs in the bottom of the inning. Brazile singled leading off and scored when Biggs hit a triple to make it 12-5. Mross followed with a double to score Biggs making it 13-5. Massengill grounded out, pinch hitter Cheyenne Mielke struck out before Henderson reached on an error that brought in Mross to make the score 14-5 Harrisburg. Henderson was caught to far off base a couple pitches later and was tagged out after a short rundown to end the inning.

Corning cut the lead 14-7 with two runs in the top of the sixth inning as Morris tripled leading off the bottom of the inning as Molley Barnes came on to courtesy run. Caldwell flew out as the ball looked to be over the outfielder's head before she made the catch. Barnes took off and crossed home before Corning threw the ball to third base for the out for leaving early. Condra walked and was forced out at second base on Brazile's ground ball to end the inning. The Lady Bobcats scored four runs in the top of the seventh as confusion marred the end the of the game. A Corning batter swung at a ball that bounced into the catcher's glove as the umpire called strike three to end the game. Corning's coach came down the third baseline telling his player to run to first base as she beat Morris to the bag. Lots of discussion if she was allowed to go to first, the umpires met and the player was awarded first base on the grounded ball rule. The next batter struck out to end the game with Harrisburg winning 14-7.

“It was an ugly win,” Harrisburg head coach Christy Buchanan said after the game. “We had a good first inning and hit the ball well and then had a lot of errors after the first inning. I was proud of the girls and the way they hung in there to get the win.”

Mross led the Lady Hornets at the plate with three hits, three runs scored and three RBIs as Condra added a hit, a run scored and two RBIs. Caldwell had a hit, run scored and two RBIs with Biggs collecting two hits, two runs scored, a RBI and a stolen base. Brazile finished with two hits, two runs scored, two RBIs and a stolen base for Harrisburg. Morris got the win with a complete game giving up 11 runs on 11 hits with two walks, nine strikeouts and two hit batters.