Raiders rally for win: East Carter scores six late runs to defeat Musketeers
May 4—GRAYSON — There's an old adage that goes, "He who hesitates is lost."
Both teams knew exactly where they were on Friday night as both teams got hot right out of the gate.
In the end, East Carter got enough across home plate to get a 12-9 win over Greenup County.
"We knew coming into the ball game that they were going to hit it and we were going to have to match it blow for blow," East Carter coach Derek Calhoun said. "Our girls responded well tonight. That takes a level of maturity and that's what I really like about this team."
The Musketeers set the pace for the game, putting up three runs after as many at-bats.
"These girls played hard," Greenup County coach Jaclyn Holmes said. "I just think we let our emotions affect our play here tonight."
Adrian Wells and Laela Matthews got on with a double and single respectively before Skyler Lawrence brought everybody home with a three-run home run in the first frame
The Raiders responded by doubling Greenup County with a six-run inning.
The first run came from a double by Trina Porter that ultimately brought home three runs due to a pair of throwing errors by the Musketeers.
The next two runs came off a fielder's choice from Emily Biddle and a sacrifice fly from Hayleigh Hall.
Greenup County answered the early deficit over the next three innings, eventually taking a 9-6 lead.
"Our team is good at that," Holmes said. "We always come back and always fought. We fought a good battle tonight."
The Musketeers got one back in the top of the second frame with an RBI single from Adrian Wells.
The top of the third saw the visitors put up three runs off the bats of Laken Cooper, Kennedy McCoy, and Charleigh Grayson.
Greenup County rounded out the scoring in the top of the fourth with a two-run double from Maddy Steele to go up 9-6.
The Raiders took back over in the bottom of the fourth inning.
"Last year we had games where we'd get behind and that'd be it," Calhoun said. "Now, we're a year older and these girls have grown to not quit. They keep playing to try to win ball games."
The home squad batted in four runs in the frame, starting with an RBI double from Shelby Felty.
Adrianna Cordle then knocked in three runs on a hit that was assisted by a couple of throwing errors by Greenup County.
East Carter added a couple more in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of an RBI double from Lydia Combs and a single from Payton Rice to get the 12-9 lead.
The Raiders held Greenup County scoreless for the remainder of the game to take the victory.
The win highlights what Calhoun loves about his team and how that could be an advantage come postseason time.
"We can always find room for improvement after a game," Calhoun said. "But the mindset of these kids is great. We have 11 or 12 kids we're rotating out of the lineup and some young kids stepping up and doing excellent for us. We just need to get healthier, play hard, and hopefully make a run here in the postseason."
Holmes hopes the loss can help refocus her team.
"We have to keep that 'we not me' mentality," Holmes said. "If we keep that, we can work on those skill sets like teamwork and picking each other up when others are a little down."
GREENUP CO. 313 200 0 — 9 13 5
E. CARTER 600 420 X — 12 10 3
Cooper and Steele; Tussey, Knipp (4) and Porter. W — Knipp. L — Cooper. 2B — Wells 2 (GC), Porter (EC), Steele (GC), Felty (EC), Combs (EC). HR — Lawrence (GC).
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