The McCracken County Lady Mustangs clinched their 25th win of the season, improving to 25-5 and 7-1 in region play. With the home stretch and postseason play on the horizon, their 5-1 win over Paducah Tilghman on Monday night adds fuel to the Lady Mustangs fire to finish strong.
Their lone loss to a First Region opponent came in a 2-1 defeat to the Marshall County Lady Marshals in the third game of the year. That game is set for a rematch Tuesday night, this time in West Paducah.
Getting the win Monday night means the Lady Mustangs clinch the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Second District tournament. And, with St. Mary High School not fielding a team this season and the Community Christian Academy Lady Warriors bowing out of district competition, the Lady Mustangs and Lady Blue Tornado are guaranteed to meet again to determine a Second District title.
McCracken County got right to work in their first offensive inning. A single for Macy Butler and a hit by pitch thrown at Addley Leidecker put runners ready to go. Butler was caught stealing in an eager attempt at third, but a two-run homer from Ava Knight made it a 2-0 ball game.
Knight would strike again in the bottom of the third when she knocked a line drive double to center field to push Leidecker home for the 3-0 lead.
Tilghman would string together seven hits throughout the night with Mia Bobbitt going 2-for-4 including a double and a triple and Hailey Mooney going 2-for-3.
Despite the hits, McCracken kept the runs coming when Cate Hurley hitting a hard grounder to center for the 4-0 lead and Cami Cox following in the next at-bat with a line drive double to left field for the 5-0 score.
PT found their lone answer in the top of the seventh inning when the double from Bobbitt pushing home Madelyn Boling for the final 5-1 score.
McCracken County will play their next six games at home to close out the regular season starting Tuesday, while Tilghman gets back to action Thursday night on the road at Ballard Memorial.
MCCRACKEN COUNTY 5, PADUCAH TILGHMAN 1
PTHS0 0 0 0 0 0 1 — 1 7 0
MCHS2 0 1 0 2 0 X — 5 11 0
WP: PT — M. Bobbitt
2B: MC — A. Knight, C. Cox, O. Lee, S. McDowell; PT — M. Bobbitt
3B: PT — M. Bobbitt
HR: MC — A. Knight
TB: MC — A. Knight 6, C. Cox 3, S. McDowell 3, M. Butler 2, O. Lee 2, A. Leidecker 1, C. Hurley; PT — M. Bobbitt 5, H. Mooney 2, A. White 1, M. Boling 1, S. Key 1
HBP: MC — A. Leidecker; PT — M. Bobbitt
SB: PT — B. McMinn, M. Boling
CS: MC — M. Butler, S. McDowell
RECORDS: MCCRACKEN COUNTY (25-5); PADUCAH TILGHMAN (19-10)