Lady Bucks knock off Rose Bud, Palestine-Wheatley

CARLISLE – Smackover advanced to the championship game of the Carlisle Tournament with a pair of victories on Friday. The Lady Bucks downed Rose Bud 13-1 and Palestine-Wheatley 9-2.

Smackover improved to 8-1 on the season and will take on Carlisle Saturday at 2 p.m.

“In both games, the girls really fought back and did a great job with two outs, scoring runs,” said Smackover coach Dennis Steele.

Malorie Pullin allowed one unearned run against the Lady Ramblers. The junior struck out 12 batters, walked one and hit one.

Rose Bud's run came in the first inning. With two outs, Smackover flubbed an infield pop up for an error. The ball kicked into foul territory, allowing Sarah Hartle another at-bat. Hartle would hit the next pitch for a home run.

That would be all the damage caused by the Lady Ramblers. The Lady Bucks quickly got the run back with a four-run second inning, followed by six in the third and three in the fourth.

In the second, Brea Boyce singled and Reese McKinnon was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Gabbi Kelly was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Mackenzie Preston drove in two with a single and Karis Robinson doubled to drive in two more.

Boyce singled with one out in the third and stole second. With two outs, Hannah Parker and Claire Schibler both singled in runs. Kelly doubled in a run before Preston, Robinson and Pullin all plated runs with hits.

The Lady Bucks sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning and recorded six consecutive, two-out hits.

“I was most proud of all the hits we got after two were out. The girls really stepped up and hit the ball well,” said Steele.

In the fourth, Schibler, Kelly and Preston all singled. Robinson drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Pullin singled before Lindy Bates stroked a two-run double.

The Lady Bucks had 20 hits against the Lady

Ramblers. Preston was 4-for-4. Robinson, Boyce and Kelly had three hits apiece. Pullin, Bates and Schibler each had two hits.

Robinson was the winning pitcher against PalestineWheatley. The senior allowed two runs on four hits with five strikeouts and no walks in five innings.

Parker, Bates, Robinson and Kelly had two hits apiece with Smackover recording 13 hits total.

The Lady Bucks struck first with a four-run third. Parker singled, stole two bases and scored on Kelly's single. With two outs, Robinson singled and Pullin doubled in a run. Bates and Boyce both had RBI doubles.

Parker, Schibler, Kelly, Preston, Robinson and Bates all singled in the fourth. Schibler, Robinson and Bates drove in runs.

Smackover's final run came in the fifth when McKinnon singled. Abby Brewer came in to run and stole two bases before scoring on a fielder's choice.