HOLLY POND, Ala. — The Holly Pond Lady Broncos hosted an area matchup against J.B. Pennington on senior night Monday while right next door the Broncos took on Southeastern at home. Both squads came out victorious, with the Lady Broncos winning a nail-biter, 5-4 and the Broncos taking care of business against the Mustangs 3-1.
Holly Pond 5 – J.B. Pennington 4 (Softball)
J.B. Pennington quickly got on the scoreboard to start out the game as an RBI double gave them an early 1-0 lead, but Holly Pond got that run back and then some in their opening at-bats. Samantha Giles got hit by the pitch, then Mattie Earl drew a walk. One out later, Kaylee Stallings reached on an error, which allowed Earl to score as the game was tied up at one. Brooke Hill then lined a two-run single to right field and later scored on another error to give the Lady Broncos a 4-1 lead after one.
The Lady Tigers scored on a wild pitch to make it a two-run game going into the bottom of the third, but Holly Pond answered right back on a Cidney Hays sacrifice fly. J.B. Pennington scored on a wild pitch and an RBI groundout in the top of the fifth as it was now a 5-4 game. Neither team put up any more runs the rest of the way as Lexie Smith retired the Lady Tigers in order in the seventh to help preserve the 5-4 win.
Smith went six innings, allowed just one hit, walked nine, and struck out nine in a real gutsy performance out on the mound for Holly Pond. Hill finished with a hit and two RBIs, while Hays collected an RBI of her own. Raeleigh Olinger and Taylor Simmons each added a pair of hits in the contest, while Giles, Aubrey Armstrong, and Smith each finished with a hit. The Lady Broncos are now 4-0 in the area and will travel to take on Brindlee Mountain on Tuesday. A win by Holly Pond and they will be hosting the area tournament.
Holly Pond 3 – Southeastern 1 (Baseball)
After two scoreless innings, Holly Pond got something going in the bottom of the third as Thomas Bell hit a two-out single and on the first pitch, Andy Light hit a two-run home run over the left field fence to give the Broncos a 2-0 lead. Southeastern trimmed into the Holly Pond lead in the fifth inning as an RBI single made it a one-run game, but a Seth Whiting RBI single pushed the Bronco lead to 3-1 in their half.
Light worked around a single in the sixth to get out of the inning and then gave up a one-out single in the seventh, but he started the game-ending double play to give Holly Pond the 3-1 win.
Light (two RBIs) and Whiting (one RBI) each finished with two hits in the game for Holly Pond, while Hunter Farr and Bell each added a hit as well. Light pitched a complete game six-hitter as he gave up just one earned run, walked one and struck out four. The Broncos will travel to take on Whitesburg Christian Academy on Tuesday.
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