The Keota Eagles softball team (6-4, 5-4) held on to win a pitchers’ duel, avenging an early-season loss to the HLV-TC Warriors (9-5, 7-3) in a 2-0 victory.
Both starting pitchers, eighth grader Jessalynn Aller for Keota and senior Lilly Randall for HLV, dominated the early going, as Aller held down a single base runner in the top of the first three innings while Randall started the game setting down the first seven hitters in order in the home halves.
Keota broke through in the bottom of the third, though, as Karley Greiner reached on an error and came around to score on an Elyse Lyle single, plating the first runner of the ballgame. A similar scene played out in the bottom of the fifth, as Addison Parkeypile reached on a fielders’ choice, made it to third on a double by Lyle, and scored on an overthrown backpick from Warrior catcher Abbi Tharp.
HLV-TC threatened in the top of the sixth, placing runners on first and second with one out, but Aller fielded her position well, putting out a pair of Warriors on groundouts to escape the jam.
Tharp was pinch hit for by eighth grader Sloane McCain in the seventh as the Warriors sought a spark, and she nearly found one, spinning a bloop single down the right field line. McCain got too aggressive on the basepaths, though, as a 9-4-6 relay cut her down, crushing HLV’s momentum as two more consecutive outs ended the ballgame.
Neither pitcher surrendered an earned run on the evening, as Aller took home the win after allowing seven hits and no walks while collecting six strikeouts. Randall surrendered two unearned runs in the losing effort on three hits and two walks while picking up seven strikeouts. Aller discussed the impact of her defense’s play behind her, surrendering only a single error to HLV’s five, “It’s amazing. It feels so great, throwing the ball over the plate and knowing I have somebody behind me to back me up.”
The Eagles will return to action tonight in another conference game, this time travelling to Montezuma to take on the Bravettes.