by Jonathan Smith

COURTLAND
The Lady Dukes swept the Southampton Indians in the season series with a 6-5 win on Tuesday. With the win the Lady Dukes improve to 9-1 on the season and 6-0 in the Tri-Rivers District.

The Lady Indians jumped out early with a run in the bottom of the first inning when Kelby Lewis scored on a wild pitch. The Dukes answered with a run in the top of the second when Torri Queen scored from third on a Madison O’Brien RBI single.

Both teams added a run in the third inning to keep the game tied at 2.

Kelby Lewis scored her second run of the game on a Bryona Knight RBI single. The Lady Dukes’ Sydney Carter scored on a Alyssa Funai RBI single.

The Dukes took the lead in the fifth inning when Queen scored her second run of the game when Camryn Pagan executed a perfect bunt on a squeeze play.

Both teams plated three runs in the sixth inning. E.J. Bankson and Kayce Gray both scored on an O’Brien double and Edythe Carr picked up an RBI on a single. Bryona Knight, Sarah Williams, and Cameron Francis scored for the Indians in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 6-5.

The Lady Dukes’ defense shut down the Lady Indians in the bottom of the seventh by turning a rally ending double play.

Bankson pitched a complete game for the Lady Dukes giving up one earned run on 11 hits, one walk and five strikeouts. Madison O’Brien also picked off two Lady Indian runners from behind the plate.

The Lady Dukes are scheduled to host the Lady Cougars of Surry County today. Next Tuesday, the Lady Dukes play against the Lady Eagles of Greensville County High School. Both games will start at 4:30 p.m.

JONATHAN SMITH coaches softball as well as working as an instructional assistant at Windsor School. Contact him at 242-6172.