In a meeting between the defending 1st and 2nd Region champions on Tuesday night, Christian County’s Emmy Blane went deep twice and Hope Jones added another home run to help the Lady Colonels top host Marshall County 6-2. Christian County hands the Lady Marshals their first loss of the season, while remaining undefeated at 6-0.
The game was scoreless until the top of the third, when Blane connected on the first pitch of the at-bat to clear the left-field wall and bring in Pickle Winkler for a 2-0 lead. Tyler Shemwell followed with a double, and Reni Shemwell came through with a two-out, RBI double for a 3-run margin.
The Lady Marshals answered with 2 runs in the bottom of the third on RBI singles by Gracey Murt and Riley Piercefield, before tying the game at 4-4 in the fourth when Layne Pea singled to bring home Charley Pursley.
Murt relieved Marshall County starting pitcher Gabbi Lovett to begin the top of the fifth, and Blane deposited her second pitch over the right-field fence to restore the Lady Colonels’ lead. After Tyler Shemwell drew a walk, Taylor Shemwell doubled to right field to stretch the advantage to 5-3.
Hope Jones homered to lead off the top of the seventh, and despite two errors in the bottom of the inning that led to a Lady Marshal run, Hannah Sumner coaxed a ground-out with a runner on third to seal the complete-game victory.
Sumner allowed 4 runs, 3 earned, on 10 hits, with a couple of walks and two strikeouts. Blane finished with 2 hits and 3 RBI, followed by Jones and Reni Shemwell with 2 hits and an RBI each. Winkler went 2-3, Tenley Gilbert and Tyler Shemwell each had a hit, and Taylor Shemwell had a hit and drove in a run.
Murt took the loss for Marshall County, working the final three innings while allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, on 4 hits, with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. Lovett pitched the first four frames, yielding 3 earned runs on 7 hits, with a walk and a strikeout.