Lady Cyclones power past Tennessee High behind Ingram
Published 4:49 pm Wednesday, March 22, 2023
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Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton right fielder Lana Ward squeezes the ball for a fly-ball out as centerfielder Cheyenne Poiroux provides backup.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Starting freshman pitcher Lela Byrd delivers a strike to home plate. Byrd struck out 10 batters in the contest.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Lady Cyclone shortstop Ember Jensen prepares to rifle a throw across the diamond to record an out against Tennessee High.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders It was a meeting of the minds as Elizabethton head coach Ken Hardin calls a timeout to talk to his infielders, pitcher, and catcher.
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STAR CORRESPONDENT
With makeup on, Maely Ingram fits the role perfectly as a Homecoming Queen candidate or an Elizabethton cheerleader, but put a bat in her hands and Ingram turns into an RBI-producing slugger for the Lady Cyclone softball program.
That was proven on Tuesday as Elizabethton played host to the Lady Vikings of Tennessee High, where Ingram accounted for four runs in the Lady Cyclone 9-6 win over the visitors from Bristol.
Ingram blasted home runs in the first and sixth innings to help Coach Ken Hardin’s team secure the victory. She finished with three hits on the day.
The Cyclones had to battle to take the win as the Lady Vikings added one last run in the top of the seventh inning, plating four runs to make the game interesting as Abby Haga walked followed by singles off the bats of Macie Strouth and Lily Ware. Elizabethton also made an error on a ball in play by Maddie Hall.
Elizabethton gained the upper hand in the bottom of the third inning when Mollie Johnson laced a single to score Hannah Morgan and Sadie Williams. Morgan opened the inning with a single and Williams worked a walk. The Lady Cyclones went up 3-1.
After Tennessee High sliced the lead to one in the top of the fifth, the Lady Cyclones responded with two more in the bottom of the frame as Ingram opened the frame with a double and after a strikeout by Emma O’Quinn, Johnson plated Ingram with a double of her own
A Kenidy Harris single brought the speedy Johnson Home, making it a 5-2 Elizabethton advantage.
Elizabethton plated four more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend their lead to 9-2.
Pitcher Lela Byrd helped her own cause by roping a double to open the inning. Courtesy runner Grace Whaley came on to run for Byrd and took third on a single by Morgan. An RBI single off the bat of Willams plated Whaley, followed by Ingram’s second-round bagger of the day to give the Lady Cyclones the seven-run advantage.
Elizabethton finally managed to put out the Lady Viking uprising in the top of the seventh to preserve the win.
Byrd was the winning pitcher for Elizabethton as the freshman allowed eight hits and six runs over seven innings of action. She struck out ten Lady Vikings on the day. Riley Fields was the losing pitcher of record as the Lady Viking hurler allowed the nine runs on 13 Lady Cyclone hits and struck out five.
Ashley Worley and Strouth had a multiple-hit day for Tennessee High, as Worley was 3-for-4.
