Lakeside grad struggles at golf nationals
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Henderson State University junior Gracen Blount finished the second round at the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships in a three-way tie for 89th after the Lakeside grad’s second tough day in a row at the Chattahoochee Golf Club.
Blount shot an 11-over par 83 in the second round and her score of 18 over for the tournament ties her with Missouri-St Louis’ Momo Kikuchi and Rogers State’s Lydia Sitorus.
Blount teed off on the back nine to start the day and bogeyed the par-4 10th. After a bogey on the par-4 12th, Blount hit her first birdie of the day on the par-5 15th. However, she double-bogeyed the next hole before responding with another birdie on the par-5 16th.
Blount’s birdie on the 16th hole would be the last one she made during the second round as she finished the back nine with two bogeys.
Moving into the front nine, Blount got off to a rough start with double-bogey on the par4 first. The junior went on to make three bogeys and another double-bogey in the round to finish her second tough day on the course.
Teammate Daphney Tilton finished the first day of play in fourth place, but Tilton dropped into a four-way tie for 10th after she shot a 4-over par 76 on day two. Tilton sits at 2 over after two rounds of play.
Tilton started the day on the back nine, bogeying holes 10, 11 and 12 but answering with a birdie on 14.
After seven consecutive pars, the next blemish on Tilton’s card came when she bogeyed the par-5 fourth. However, she quickly responded with a birdie on the par-4 fifth and finished the day with two more birdies and two more pars.
Arkansas Tech’s Jacqueline Klemm jumped into a two-way tie for eighth at 1 over after she shot a 1-under par 71 and made four birdies during the second round of play.
Academy of Art’s Anahi Servin leads the pack at 6 under after her second round 3-under 69.
HSU dropped two spots in the team standings to 10th place at 32 over after the Reddies shot a 16-over par 304 for the second consecutive day. Dallas Baptist leads the field at 13 under.
WOLVES DROP CONTEST TO BRYANT
BRYANT — Lake Hamilton fell to Bryant 8-5 in the Wolves’ final tune-up game Monday before the Class 5A state tournament starts today at Majestic Park.
Bryant jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Wolves pulled a run back in the top of the second.
However, the Hornets responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame for a 6-1 Bryant lead.
The Wolves trimmed the deficit to three runs by scoring two in the top of the fourth, but Bryant answered with two in the bottom of the fifth. Lake Hamilton set the final with two runs in the top of the sixth as the comeback fell just short.
Brent Davis picked up the loss for Lake Hamilton, allowing 6 runs, 4 hits and 3 walks while fanning 2 in 2 innings of work.
Six players registered a single hit for the Wolves. Ben Varner led the team with two runs scored, while Easton Hurley, Darlene Davis and Haydn Estrada also crossed the plate for Lake Hamilton. Hurley and Jace Joiner each tallied an RBI for the Wolves.
Lake Hamilton takes on Jonesboro at 12:30 p.m. today at Babe Ruth Field in Majestic Park in the Class 5A state tournament.