The Hopkinsville softball team took an early lead Friday night against visiting Livingston Central, but errors and walks caught up to the Lady Tigers in a 9-3 loss to the Lady Cardinals. The Lady Tigers drop their second-straight to slip to 9-13 overall, while Livingston snaps a two-game skid to improve to 9-7 on the year.
Hoptown’s Taiya Straight doubled in the bottom of the first and came home on a single by Nadia Clayton for an early Lady Tiger lead. However, the Lady Cardinals would jump in front in the third, taking advantage of three walks and an error to go with three base-hits for a 6-1 advantage.
The Lady Tigers got back within striking distance in their half of the fourth when Taylor Joachim doubled to the fence in center field to bring home Clayton and Sabrina Hodge, cutting the deficit to three.
The Lady Cardinals used a two-out rally in the top of the sixth add another run, before tacking on the final 2 on back-to-back Lady Tiger errors in the top of the seventh.
Marley Hancock took the loss for Hopkinsville, yielding 9 runs, 4 earned, on 7 hits, with 9 walks and 6 strikeouts. Straight and Clayton both had 2 hits to lead the Lady Tiger attack.
Sydney Lasher went the distance for the win for the Lady Cardinals, allowing 3 earned runs on 6 hits, while striking-out eleven. Lauren Wring finished 3-4 at the plate and drove-in a run.