ACCS softball makes an 8-0 run to beat Tensas Academy

Published 12:01 am Friday, August 2, 2013

Adams County Christian School starting pitcher Brooke Runnells delivers a pitch during the first inning of Thursday's game at ACCS. (Jay Sowers / The Natchez Democrat)

Adams County Christian School starting pitcher Brooke Runnells delivers a pitch during the first inning of Thursday’s game at ACCS.
(Jay Sowers / The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — Things started off a little rough for the Adams County Christian school softball team in their game against Tensas Academy Thursday.

The Lady Chiefs took an early 4-0 lead, but ACCS took advantage of a string of Tensas Academy errors to come away with an 8-4 win.

ACCS head coach Forrest Foster said his team played well without two key players in Tory Laird and Anna McDaniel.

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“We were missing our team leaders, and I can tell they were tight at first,” Foster said. “We just needed to play loose, confident and have fun. Once they relaxed, they started getting on bases.”

For ACCS, Jordan Petty went 3-for-3 with three singles, an RBI and two runs. Bailey Boyd was 2-for-3 with two singles, two RBIs and two scores.

Tensas Academy’s, Bailey Keys went 2-for-3 and Lauren Matthews went 2-for-3, with a double and one run.

Tensas’s Taylor Olds slid in for an early 1-0 lead, and Hali Matthews and Hannah James both scored when Madison Keys singled to left field to extend the lead 3-0 after one inning.

In the top of the second, Tensas extended their lead 4-0 when Olds doubled to bring in Lauren Matthews.

“I thought we were overly patient at first,” Forest said. “We weren’t aggressive enough early on.”

From there, ACCS went on a rally, scoring their first two runs of the game in the bottom of the second. Boyd laced a hit to right field

Boyd then took home on a wild pitch, making it 4-2.

Now down two, ACCS took to the field and recorded three straight outs in the top of the third.

The Lady Rebels came back to the plate in the bottom of the third, and Brooke Allen stole home when Keys turned her back from home plate.

“We made some smart base-running moves,” Foster said. “(Bailey) paid attention to the pitcher and she went for it. We scored a few runs off of that, and it was a momentum builder.”

ACCS evened the score when Petty singled to bring home Taylor Perkins.

In the top of the fifth, the Lady Rebels brought in Perkins for Brooke Runnells. Runnells had three strikeouts in four innings.

Perkins recorded her first strikeout in the fifth as ACCS allowed no score.

ACCS capitalized on their defensive efforts in the bottom of the fifth as they took the lead by four.

Michaela Ashley singled to far left field, which brought in Ashleigh Williams for her first run of the game.

From there, the Lady Rebels took advantage of a fatigued Tensas team and scored off of their errors.

Petty, Ashley and Boyd all scored on passed balls by Tensas to end the game 8-4.

Tensas Academy head coach Jay James said though they lost, he was proud of his young team’s efforts.

“Our girls hadn’t practiced together much, and they’re just moving up to varsity,” James said. “From all the lack of practice we’ve had, they played well.”

When it comes to his team’s amount of late-game errors, he said it was all a part of a learning experience for them.

“When (ACCS) had runners on bags late in the game, and we’ve got inexperienced girls, so they panicked a bit,” James said. “I just have to teach them how to minimize their mistakes.”

Keys took the loss for Tensas, striking out five in five inning.

Tensas Academy will be back in action when they host a tournament Saturday. Their first game will be against Tallulah Academy at 8 a.m.

ACCS will play Silliman Institute Monday.