Revenge

The Whitley County Lady Colonels got a bit of revenge Monday afternoon when they defeated the Corbin Lady Redhounds 6-4 at Whitley County. Earlier in the season Corbin had beaten Whitley County, 5-0.
However, Rachel Akins played a big part in the win over Whitley County, but the Corbin 8th grader sustained an injury to her knee last week and will be out a couple of weeks. The loss of Akins was key to the Corbin offense.
Monday it was the Whitley County offense that came to life and tagged Corbin’s Felicia Pigg with seven hits while scoring six runs. Whitley County’s defense and pitcher Samantha Hundley allowed five hits and four runs.
“We needed to come back before the district tournament and play well,” said Whitley County co-coach Laurel Herron. “We need to play well more than anything.”
Herron feels the Lady Colonels are still trying to regain some of the confidence they had earlier in the season. “”We’ve moved some positions, changed lineups in trying to get things solidified. Some of them (players) are still a little but iffy but that’s why we have done this now instead of later,” said Herron.
“Jessica Fritts, Annie Wilson and Paula Powell hit the ball well today, that’s why they are in the lineup,” said Herron. “Brittany Fox finally got a big hit, she is very capable. She was one of our big hitters last year. So, we just keep thinking she is going to come out it.”
I think if we had been beaten by them twice before the district we would go into the tournament with a different view but now it’s 1-1,” said Herron. “I think we are pretty evenly matched.
Like the first time the teams played Corbin struck first. Ashley Turner drew a walk from Hundley then stole second. She went to third on a passed ball then scored on a Kirby Soles base hit past Sarah Bourland at shortstop. Soles stole second before Mikka Rogers grounded out to second.
Hundley struck out Amber Spray but Abby Baylor followed with a single up the middle that scored Soles for a 2-0 lead. Wilson threw out Baylor going to second to end the inning.
Whitley County had a little success in the bottom of the first when Stella Draper was hit by a pitch. She went to second on a passed ball and to third when Wilson grounded out short. But Linda Sawyers popped out in the infield and Hundley grounded out to Rogers to end the threat.
The Lady Redhounds (10-3) made a run at Whitley County in the top of the second as well. Ali Burton led off with a hit back to the mound that Hundley bobbled. Pigg followed with a base hit to the third base side of the field but on the play Burton was thrown out trying to go to third.
Hundley struck out Holly Gibbs and got Kayla Lampkin to pop out to end the inning.
Whitley County got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second when Fritts doubled down the third base line. Danielle Lindsey came in to run for Fritts and later scored on a fielder’s choice by Maggie Thornsberry. Powell also singled in the inning but was stranded at third.
“We left too many runners,” said co-coach David Halcomb. “We have work on getting those runners in.”
Hundley, who said she was a little tight to start the game, retired the Redhounds in order in the top of the third. “I was a little nervous to begin the game but once the game got going I settled down,” Hundley said.
The Lady Colonels (13-5) took the lead in the bottom of the third when Linda Sawyers hit a one-out single past third base. Hundley drew a walk and Fritts loaded the bases when she was hit by a pitch.
However, Powell hit a high fly to short leftfield that Spray made a run-saving play on to prevent Sawyers from scoring. But, back to back hits by Bourland and Thornsberry pushed Whitley County ahead, 3-2.
The Lady Colonels got out of a bases loaded situation in the fourth with only one run scored by the Lady Redhounds. Spray led off the winning with a single up the middle and went to second on an infield error at the bat of Baylor. Burton followed with a grounder to third but Sawyers stepped on the base for the force out. Pigg then hit into an error that allowed Baylor to score the tying run before Hundley struck out Gibbs and got Lampkin to ground out.
Whitley County went ahead 5-3 in the bottom of the inning when Draper reached first on a strike out that was dropped. After stealing second Wilson smashed a hit to leftfield for a triple. She later scored on a Hundley ground out to third.
Corbin pulled within a run in the top of the fifth when Soles blew the ball over Miranda Archer in centefield. Soles scored on a sacrifice by Rogers to center field.
The Lady Colonels added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Fox led off the inning with a triple to leftfield. She scored when Draper hit to center field. Draper was left stranded at second when Wilson, Sawyers and Hundley all flew out.
•The Lady Colonels were scheduled to play Barbourville Tuesday and Williamsburg Thursday before playing in the Kentucky Prep 5-Star Classic at North Laurel this weekend. Whitley County will get a tough test from fifth-ranked North Laurel as well as 19-ranked Dixie Heights. They will also play LaRue County, who knocked off no.1 Owensboro Catholic last week. A game with 15th region foe, Shelby Valley is also on the schedule. The Lady ‘Cats have also received votes in each of the polls this season.
Whitley County is in the polls, the Lady Colonels along with Middlesboro and Rockcastle County were ranked in others receiving votes this week.

Corbin 200 110 0- 4 5 2
Whitley Co. 012 101 x- 6 7 3
Pigg and Baylor. Hundley and Wilson. WP-Hundley, LP-Pigg. 2B-Fritts (WC). 3B-Wilson (WC), Soles (C), Fox (WC).