Liberty softball completes sweep of Table Rock to stay perfect

The Liberty Middle School softball team remained in the driver’s seat in the Foothills Athletic Conference race after completing a season sweep of second-place Table Rock on Wednesday.

Piper Ellis homered and recorded three extra-base hits, and Whitley Strange allowed no earned runs with a pair of strikeouts, throwing all six innings in a 14-4 win by the host Lady Knights (7-0 FAC).

Ellis’ two-run double in the bottom of the first inning assured the Lady Knights would never trail, though Table Rock (6-2) tied the game 2-2 in the next half-inning on a Lily Thompson RBI double.

Ellis homered in the third to give Liberty the lead for good and later connected on another double, driving in three runs and scoring twice for the contest.

Liberty’s Emma Fish (2 for 3, two doubles, walk, three runs, three RBIs, two SBs) and Mallorie Messer (3 for 4, two doubles, two runs, two RBIs, SB) also enjoyed huge afternoons at the plate, and Liberty also got solid production from Strange (single, walk, two runs), Lyrikah Bristol (double, walk, run, two RBIs), Lila Hudson (double, RBI), and Finley Duvall (single, RBI, two runs). Strange scattered four hits and three walks from the circle.

The Lady Falcons were led by Cheyenne Cooke (2 for 3, double, run). Hallie Ollis added two walks, one run, and one RBI, Kelly Scales walked and scored a run, and Megan Robinson pitched five innings, allowing five earned runs with three strikeouts.

Also on Wednesday, East McDowell (2-3) took over third place in the conference with an 11-1 home win over East Burke (2-5), and West McDowell (2-5) tied EBMS for fourth place with a 14-0 home win over Heritage.

The Lady Eagles (1-5) were led in defeat by Marleigh Gidney (double) and Ambria Baker (CG, 2 K).

Heritage’s home game versus East McDowell was rained out Monday and rescheduled for April 15. The Heritage-Liberty and West McDowell-East Burke contests scheduled for Thursday also were rained out and have not yet been rescheduled.

BASEBALL

Falcons, Raiders capture 6th wins

East Burke and Table Rock both went on the road and claimed their sixth FAC victories of the season on Wednesday.

The Raiders (6-2) won 5-0 at East McDowell as Sawyer Houston got the shutout from the mound, going 5 1/3 innings and striking out three while adding a team-high three hits offensively.

East Burke’s Blade Carson, Greyson Roberts, Evan Bucker, and Tripp Hullette were all 2 for 4 at the plate, and the team’s defensive effort was led by Hank Lowman at third base.

The Falcons (6-3) also shined with the gloves, playing error-free on defense in a shutout by pitcher Easton Tollison (5 IP, H, 3 BB, 11 K) in an 8-0 victory over rival Liberty.

Jaxxon Williams finished 3 for 4 with a double and three RBIs to lead the way for Table Rock. Tollison also walked, stole two bases, and scored a run, and other Falcons standouts included Spencer Wall (two walks, run, RBI), Aiken Shade (single, walk, two runs), and Alexander Hagmann (single, walk, two runs).

Liberty’s Edward Stoudenmire singled to break up Tollison’s no-hit bid and also drew a walk, and Kason Kidd (3 IP, H, 2 R, 2 K) was the Knights’ most effective arm in the contest.

Liberty (2-7) started Wednesday afternoon with a 19-0, three-inning home win over Walter Johnson (0-7). AJ Duckworth finished with a team-high two hits and three RBIs, and recording a hit apiece for the Knights were Judson Wilson (1 for 2, walk), Kidd (1 for 1, RBI), Cason Scott (1 for 2, RBI), Matthew Piercy (1 for 1, RBI), Cameron Hollar (1 for 1, RBI), and Jackson Puckett (1 for 1, RBI).

LMS’ Puckett, Brody Lozano, and Hunter Moore threw an inning each, combining for four strikeouts in the shutout win.

Also on Wednesday, Heritage (3-5) hung tough with unbeaten league leader West McDowell in a 10-8 loss in Marion. The Eagles’ Nolan Russ and Alex Mann had three hits apiece, Ian Meadows and Ethan Cline (two walks, two RBIs) added two hits apiece, and Collin Clary (6 IP, 3 K) started on the mound and lasted until Currie White struck out one in the seventh.

Walter Johnson had games at West McDowell and East McDowell postponed Monday and Thursday, respectively, with makeup dates not yet announced. The Heritage and East Burke baseball contests on Monday and Thursday follow the same pattern as softball, with Heritage-East McDowell set for April 15 but no other makeup dates set.