Trinity falls to Brookhaven Academy in high-scoring affair

Published 12:05 am Tuesday, August 5, 2014

From left, Trinity Episcopal’s Michaela Hutchins, Tali Beard, and Macy Aldridge walk back to the dugout after losing to Brookhaven Academy 11-8 Monday. Below, Trinity Episcopal’s Christi Ballard celebrates after hitting an inside the park homerun. (SAM GAUSE | THE NATCHEZ DEMOCRAT)

From left, Trinity Episcopal’s Michaela Hutchins, Tali Beard, and Macy Aldridge walk back to the dugout after losing to Brookhaven Academy 11-8 Monday. Below, Trinity Episcopal’s Christi Ballard celebrates after hitting an inside the park homerun. (SAM GAUSE | THE NATCHEZ DEMOCRAT)

VIDALIA — The Trinity softball team fell to Brookhaven Academy 11-8 Monday after each squad traded momentum and seven-run innings each.

Brookhaven Academy’s perfect game bid came to an abrupt halt in the fourth inning when Trinity’s Tali Beard singled and jumpstarted a rally at the Concordia Parish Recreation District 3 Complex.

Down 4-0, Beard’s single, followed by Sloane Young’s slap bunt single, an RBI single by Kailey Hutchins and an error loaded the bases for the Saints. After Michaela Hutchins grounded into an RBI fielder’s choice, Kaitlyn Lees ripped a 2-RBI double to tie the game at four with two outs. Ensuing batter Christi Ballard cleared the bases on a three-run inside the park home run that gave Trinity a 7-4 lead.

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“I’m proud of these girls,” said Trinity head coach Miranda Smith. “They showed that they were resilient tonight. But as I keep telling them, ‘You have to play a complete game.’”

Brookhaven Academy’s seven-run inning followed in the top of the sixth inning after Trinity’s Kailey Hutchins loaded the bases with no outs. Hutchins, who Smith said was battling a back injury, ran out of gas and allowed three runs in the sixth to reduce Trinity’s lead to one. Michaela Hutchins relieved her and gave up four more runs.

“Part of that is on me,” Smith said. “She’s still getting over her injury, and it was bothering her in that inning.”

The game was called after the sixth inning because of time constraints.

The loss gives Trinity a 2-3 record, but after losing to Brookhaven Academy by 10 runs last week, Smith said she’s seeing progression on her young team that’s trying new positions.

“I’m proud of us being within three runs instead of 10,” Smith said. “We’ll build off of that. We’re going to have a great season. I truly believe that.”

The Saints will play a varsity doubleheader against Amite at 5 p.m. Thursday at the recreation complex.