On Monday night, the McCracken County Lady Mustangs returned to Baptist Health Field for the season’s home opener, hosting the Murray Lady Tigers. The Lady Mustangs moved to 5-0 with an 11-1 victory over Murray, ending the Lady Tigers’ perfect record in the early season.
Scoring in the highly anticipated regional matchup began in the bottom of the first inning as MiKaela Coburn drew a lead-off walk, later stealing second base and scoring on an error by Murray. With one out, Ally Hutchins doubled with a fly ball to center field. However, Hutchins was left stranded in scoring position as Murray collected two outs to end the inning.
McCracken County moved the score to 2-0 during the bottom of the second inning when Izzy Story scored on a ground out by Raygan Rodgers, which advanced Anna Kate Hawes to third base.
The bottom half of the third inning pushed the score to 4-0, with Hutchins scoring on a wild pitch before Annie White hit a solo shot home run to left field on a 2-0 pitch. White’s home run was the first for the senior in the 2023 season.
McCracken County continued to push ahead during the bottom of the fifth inning, with Hutchins drawing a lead-off walk before KG Walker singled on a line drive, allowing Hutchins to score and make it 5-0. The next batter, White, singled, scoring Walker’s courtesy runner Cate Hurley with zero outs.
The first out in the bottom of the fifth came as Story hit a sacrifice fly, allowing White to score and make it 7-0. The next batter, Hayden Holloway, hit a missile to center field, making it 8-0 before Murray ended the inning with a ground out and a strikeout of the Lady Stangs.
The Lady Tigers posted a run in the top of the sixth inning as Kylie Chapman singled with two outs. Aiden Farr scored on a Mustang error to make it 1-8 before the inning ended with a flyout by Derryauna Hudspeth.
Coburn started the bottom of the sixth inning with a triple, scoring on an RBI single by Ellie Shoulders to make it 9-1. Then, before a sacrifice flyout by Hutchins, Shoulders stole second and advanced to third base on an error by Murray. Then, Shoulders scored on the sac fly by Hutchins to give the McCracken County team a nine-run lead.
The night’s final run came with Walker singled and advancing to second base on an error by the Lady Tigers. The catcher’s courtesy runner Hurley scored as White flew out to center field, making it 11-1.
Hawes collected the win for the Lady Mustangs, working six innings in the circle. The junior righty allowed two hits and one run while walking two and striking out 10 batters.
Chapman took the loss for Murray, toeing the rubber for over five innings, allowing 12 hits, 11 runs (nine earned), walking three, and striking out six.
MCCRACKEN COUNTY 11, MURRAY 1
MURRAY 0 0 0 0 0 1 X — 1-2-7
MCCRACKEN 1 1 2 0 4 3 X — 11-12-2
WP: A. Hawes; LP: K. Chapman
2B: MCHS — A. Hutchins, I. Story
HR: MCHS — A. White, H. Holloway
TB: MHS — K. Chapman 1, S. Cauley 1; MCHS — A White 5, M. Coburn 4, H. Holloway 4, A. Hutchins 3, I. Story 3, K. Walker 2, E. Shoulders 1
SF: MCHS — A. Hutchins, I. Story