Lady Cats fall to Hillgrove

The Woodland Lady Cats softball team pounded out seventeen hits Tuesday night in their home opener but came up a run short on the scoreboard in a nine inning loss to Class 7A Hillgrove, 6-5.

The visiting Hawks grabbed a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning but Woodland chipped away to send the game into extra innings.

The Wildcats scored twice in the third inning and once in the fifth inning to narrow the margin to 4-3. Then after Hillgrove added a run in the top of the seventh, the Lady Cats rallied for two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame.

After a scoreless eighth inning, Hillgrove took the lead with a run in the top of the ninth that Woodland did not answer.

Haley Collum (1 IP, 1ER, 2H, 0BB, 1K) suffered the Woodland pitching loss in relief of starter Peyton Dorn (8 IP, 5R, 1ER, 6H, 0BB, 1K).

The Wildcats’ defense committed five errors leading to four, unearned runs.

Senior shortstop Cambrie Carrington and freshman Kamryn Smith paced the Lady Cats attack with three hits each. One of Carrington’s safeties was a double.

Mackenzie Araya (2 RBIs), Elizabeth Hartsfield (2 RBIs), Dorn, and Collum contributed two hits each for Woodland. Jordan Hammonds, Lainey Calhoun, and Alana Carnes added one hit apiece.

Woodland (0-1) plays at Pace Academy Wednesday and will play in a tournament in Dalton Friday and Saturday where the Wildcats will face Gordon Lee, Heritage-Catoosa, and Northwest Whitfield.