Lady Cyclones’ rally vs. Boone falls short
Published 4:14 pm Thursday, April 3, 2025
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent Boone’s Taylor Brinn (10) is out at home on a fielder's choice, and Lady Cyclone catcher Mikina Blackwell (14) looks to turn two in the top of the second inning.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Cyclones’ Piper Bennett (16) beats out an infield single as Boone first baseman Ava Saul (99) waits for the late throw in the bottom of the second inning.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent Lady Cyclone pitcher Lilly McDuffie, who started the game at first but came on in relief in the top of the second, fires a warmup pitch prior to the start of the top of the third inning.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent Boone’s Ava Saul (99) lines a drive to the base of the wall for a double to start the top of the third. Lady Cyclone second baseman Addy Campbell (1) turns and applies a late tag.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent Boone’s Aggie Greer (8) goes down swinging hard on this pitch for the first out of the top of the third inning.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent Lady Cyclone second baseman Addy Campbell (1) puts the squeeze on an infield fly ball for the second out of the top of the third inning.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Cyclones’ Mikina Blackwell (14) fouls off a pitch, then strikes out on the next pitch to end the top of the third inning.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent Lady Cyclone Sadie Williams (25) hauls in an infield fly ball off the bat of Boone’s Ava Saul (99) for the final out of the top of the fourth inning.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Cyclones’ Adrian Heading (00) slaps a single back through the circle to open the bottom of the fourth inning Wednesday afternoon at Elizabethton.
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Star Correspondent
Trailing by four runs in the last of the seventh, the Elizabethton Lady Cyclones put forth a rally that fell a bit short in a 4-2 loss to Daniel Boone on Wednesday evening.
The Cyclones (13-3) started Ezzy Barr in the pitching circle, and she navigated a scoreless first frame but ran into trouble in the second inning.
Barr issued two walks and hit a batter to load the bases, and coach Kenneth Hardin called on Lilly McDuffie to come on in relief. McDuffie retired the first two batters she faced on an infield fly ball and a fielder’s choice grounder to third, where Katie Gryder fired home to retire the runner.
The Lady Blazers’ second baseman, Emmi Croley, then singled up the middle to plate two runs and stake Boone to a 2-0 lead.
In the third inning, the Blazers struck for two more runs with Ava Saul opening the stanza with a double to center field. McKenzie Strouth then singled, putting runners on the corners. One out later, Taylor Brinn singled home one run, and an infield error brought in one more run for a 4-0 deficit.
“Lilly was tremendous coming in a tough spot,” Hardin said. “Ezzy doesn’t usually start, but we needed some help after a game last night. We were trying to find some help. If we don’t make three errors in this game, we win it.”
Blazers starting pitcher Lilly Hilton was exceptional, giving up just two hits and no runs over four innings before giving way to Croley, who was also sharp, giving up no runs on one hit over her two innings of work.
Saul came on for the Blazers in the seventh, and she immediately ran into trouble when Jozey Reece walked to open the inning. Laci Gobble then hit into a force play at second base, removing Reece, but Sadie Williams singled and Katie Gryder singled to load the bases.
Mikina Blackwell singled to right field to plate two Cyclone runners, and after Saul struck out Adrian Heading, Brook Sparks singled to load the bases once again to bring the potential winning run to the plate. But Piper Kate Bennett grounded to third to end the threat and the game.
“We walked too many and hit two batters, but our errors were too much to overcome,” Hardin said. “If you told me before the season that this young team would be 13-3 right now, I wouldn’t have believed you. But they are coming around.”
Daniel Boone 4, Elizabethton 2
Daniel Boone 022 000 0 — 4 7 0
EHS 000 000 2 — 2 8 3
W — Hilton. L — McDuffie.
2B — Saul.
