Heuvelton girls retain lead share; Hammond, Lisbon, Bulldog boys win

May 11—Four different teams have held a share of the lead in the current NAC West Softball season. Heuvelton earned a second stint at the stop with a win over Harrisville on Thursday.

On Friday the parity of the division was illustrated again the Bulldogs needed to hold off Hermon-DeKalb to gain a Senior Day win and maintain that lead share. In other games Hammond continued its strong finish with an 18-5 win at Morristown and Lisbon dropped Edwards-Knox 23-5.

In NAC Baseball Heuvelton held its share of second place with an 18-1 Senior Day win over Hermon-DeKalb.

SOFTBALL

Heuvelton 9 — H-D 8: Chasity Johnson of Heuvelton and H-D's Maya Green dueled on the mound for six innings and the outcome of the game came down to Johnson pitching to Green with two outs in the top of the seventh with the tying and lead runs on the third and secondbase.

Johnson enticed a game-ending groundball and the Bulldogs climbed to 9-2 to maintain a share of firstbase with Harrisville and the Demons dropped the one-run decision two nights after dropping a 6-5 decision to Hammond in 10 innings.

"This was a very tough game and our next two games against Lisbon and Hammond will be just as tough. That is the way our league is," said Heuvelton Coach Eliza Pierce.

"I think after we lost those two games early in the season the Girls learned how much they really wanted it. We are definitely hitting the ball much better. That changeup (to get the last out) was a great pitch. Coach Donaldson called it."

After the game Coach Pierce and Coach Donaldson presided over an extended Senior Day ceremony which recognized the softball careers of Addison Havens, Chasity Johnson, Lakan Martin, Hailey Rickett, Mikayla Ritchie and Carley Simmons.

After H-D scored two runs in the top sixth to tie the game at 5-5 the Bulldogs used a little smallball to trigger a big four run in the bottom of the inning. The Demons answered with three runs in the seventh inning before being retired.

After Cassidy Pray reached on an error, Johnson and Ritchie reached on bunts, Rickett plated a run with a sacrifice fly and Havens delivered an RBI double.

Simmons singled three times in the game and Hacvens singled and doubled. Hailey Montenegro and Miah Scott added singles. Myrah Stransky singled three times for H-D and Ava Besaw singled twice to drive in three runs. Maya Green singled twice, Peyton Wright singled and plated a run with a sacrifice fly and Bailey Wright, Hailey Brabaw and Hannah Brabaw all singled.

Hammond 18 — Morristown 5: The Red Devils scored 14 times in the first three innings to climb to 8-5 on the season. Landree Kenyon singled and scored five times and Katie Bass singled twice.

Mikayla Jones, winning pitcher Ava Howie, Mia Tulley and Kayla Vaugh all singled. Issy Woodcock singled twice for Morristown and Mikia Greene, Ella Ramsey, Raylee Downs and Neveah King all singled.

Lisbon 23 — E-K 5: Nine Lisbon players had two hits or more in a game played on Thursday. Adia Richards struck out 13 and delivered two doubles and three singles to lead the Lady Knights' defense and offense. Avery Blair lined five singles, Averee Bouchey homered and doubled, Regan Pirie delivered three singles and a double, Gabby Richards doubled twice and singled and Ava Bouchey and Mallory Meuten connected for a double and two singles.

Aubrey Amo tripled and a single and Rylea Kelley doubled twice.

Sam Lottie singled twice for E-K.

BASEBALL

Heuvelton 18 — H-D 1: The Bulldogs Jude Spooner and the Demons' Noah MacDonald pitched to a 1-1 tie through innings before HCS erupted for 10 hits in a 17-run fourth inning on Senior Day where Justin Ashlaw, Dylan Demers, Reid Doyle and Landon Wiegandt and Coach Dave Steele who will retire from the school district at the end of the school year.

Parker Felt and Demers singled twice for the Bulldogs and Doyle, Rider Liscum, Levin Biller, Ryley Liscum, Weigandt and Spooner all singled.

Noah MacDonald lined an RBI single to account for the Demons' lone hit.