Lady Bulldogs, Lady Wildcats stay in winners’ bracket with routs

Belgreen’s Jessica Howard slides under the tag of the Phillips pitcher to score the game’s first run Tuesday. Belgreen went on to win 17-2. | Scot Beard/FCT

BELGREEN — Belgreen and Tharptown showed why they were the top two seeds in the Class 1A, Area 15 Tournament Tuesday as they both cruised in opening-round games.

Belgreen 17, Phillips 2

The Lady Bulldogs struggled at the plate in the first inning as they were unable to get a runner on base, but the bats began producing in the second.

Loren McVicker and Katelin Barber led off the inning by drawing walks. Both advanced on a sacrifice by Jessica Welton and Jessica Howard, who was courtesy running for McVicker, scored on a pass ball.

Barber then crossed the plate on a single by Brittany Greenhill. Greenhill then moved to second on a single by Laken Beasley and both players advanced on a pass ball.

Erica Smith then drove in Greenhill with an infield single. Beasley later scored on another pass ball.

Smith was retired before she could score, but Bridget Thompson drew a walk, stole second and third and scored on a pass ball to give Belgreen a 5-0 lead.

The She Bears scored both of their runs in the top of the third.

The offensive momentum carried over into the third as Thompson, Katy Britton, Barber, Welton, Beasley and Erica Smith scored one run each while Amber Smith and Howard scored two runs each to put the Lady Bulldogs ahead 15-0.

Erica Smith and Thompson both scored in the bottom of the fourth to end the game by mercy rule.

Erica Smith led the Lady Bulldogs with three singles while Beasley singled and tripled and Amber Smith singled twice.

Britton and McVicker had one double each while Greenhill, Barber and Thompson had one single each.

McVicker earned the win for Belgreen and Thompson pitched relief. They combined to strike out seven Phillips batters while allowing only two hits.

Tharptown 20, Vina 5

The Lady Wildcats scored early and often to send county rival Vina to the losers’ bracket with a dominating day at the plate.

Tharptown’s Breaden Sellers, Kayla Herring and Chelsea McCluskey all scored in the first inning to give the Lady Wildcats a 3-0 lead.

Tharptown added to that in the second with an 11-run inning in which all nine batters scored at least one run while Elly Valdez – who was courtesy running for pitcher Kalen Smith — and Ashley Nickelson scored two runs each to take a commanding 14-0 lead.

Vina fought back in the third, scoring five runs as Claudia Townsend, Brandi White, Casey McKinney, Victoria Cochran and Hashua Watson each crossed the plate.

Tharptown added six runs in the bottom of the third to end the game.

Herring led the Lady Wildcats with a triple and two singles while Nickelson tripled and singled and Sellers hit a pair of singles.

Heather Hatton, Chloe Lane and Tosha George all singled for Tharptown.

Haley Hatton drew a pair of walks while McCluskey reached on a pair of errors. Smith reached on three errors.

Smith earned the win on the mound for Tharptown.

Watson picked up the only hits for Vina with a single and a double. Townsend and McKinney each drew a pair of walks while Cochran reached on a fielder’s choice and White was hit by a pitch.

With the win Tharptown advanced to the winners’ bracket finals to face Belgreen. Vina played Phillips in an elimination game.

Results for those games were not available in time to be included in today’s edition of The Franklin County Times.