After back-to-back losses, the Lady Cyclones got back in the win column Tuesday during their second day at the Grand Strand Classic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
After trailing Hamilton Township, 5-2, after four innings, the Lady Cyclones strung together some late-inning runs to win, 6-5, in extra frames.
“We played two really good teams (Union and Grove City),” said Elizabethton head coach Ken Hardin about the Lady Cyclones’ losses Friday and Monday. “The team (Grove City) we saw yesterday at the beach is the best team we have seen all year by far. And on top of that, we didn’t play great either. They had a really good pitcher, and Union was tough Friday night.
“We played a pretty tough team today,” Hardin continued about Tuesday’s win. “We got behind early. The girls just kept fighting. We got back in it and won in extra innings.”
Elizabethton’s Maci West, who had reached on an error, came to the house on a groundout by teammate Hannah Edwards in the top of the fifth. The Lady Cyclones posted one more run in the fifth frame as EHS’s Marley Wagner hit a line drive to center field for an RBI-double to net teammate Haley Fair cutting Hamilton’s lead to 5-4 heading into the sixth inning.
The Lady Cyclones tied things up in the seventh as Wagner hit a pop fly that resulted in an error allowing Fair to make it home.
With the game knotted at 5-5, Elizabethton’s Kira Dillard hit an RBI-single to center, allowing teammate Maci Herrmann, who stole second, to speed home for the go-ahead, 6-5.
Elizabethton finished the day with 12 hits as Herrman recorded three while West, Fair, and Wagner finished the day with two apiece.
At the mound, the Lady Cyclones were led by Kellie Cunningham, who picked up the win. Cunningham worked all eight innings as she struck out five batters against three walks. Cunningham finished with 11 hits and five runs against her.
With Lady Cyclone senior Lauren Brickey not able to make the trip to Myrtle Beach, Cunningham is seeing some extra work. Tuesday’s game was Cunningham’s third straight contest pitching.
“Kellie has wanted it all, and we have let her have it,” said Hardin. “She has really responded for us.”