'Playoff Aubree' leads Cardinals to 3A series sweep
BELMONT – Aubree Scott is seizing her first postseason opportunity.
The Belmont freshman missed the playoffs the past two years with injuries, but she’s making up for lost time this season. Scott went 4 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs as the Cardinals beat Mooreville 7-3 on Saturday to complete a sweep of their Class 3A second-round playoff series.
“Sitting out was really tough, seeing everyone else play,” Scott said. “I just had to cheer them on. And getting to play is a totally different experience.”
After singling in her first at-bat, Scott uncorked a three-run homer to center field in the second inning to open the game’s scoring. Mooreville (10-16) responded in the third and tied it at 3-3.
Scott put the Cardinals (16-14) back in front in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double. She singled again in the sixth to spark a three-run frame.
“That’s ‘Playoff Aubree’ right there,” Belmont coach Eric Thornton said. “She’s killing it. She’s had two good series in a row, and she’s swinging it really well right now.”
Britley Hardin went the distance in the circle for Belmont. She scattered seven hits, struck out four and walked two.
Mooreville tried to stage a rally in the seventh when Carley Seay and Saylem Scruggs opened the inning with back-to-back singles. But Hardin got two strikeouts and and lineout to secure the win.
“She’s thrown 35 innings in the playoffs, and she’s given up five runs – only one of those is earned. She’s had a great, great playoff run,” Thornton said.
Extra Bases
Big Inning: Nine-hole hitter Emma Gray led off Belmont’s fourth with a walk, and Scott drove her home two batters later.
Big Stat: Scott had four of Belmont’s nine hits.
Coach Speak: “Couldn’t string the hits together, but I thought they played great defense and battled as good as they could. We didn’t make the playoffs last year, and for them to get some experience this year was big.” – Mooreville’s Perry Wilburn
