The Bluffton Lady Pirate softball team finished up their NWC season at 7-2 Wednesday with a 10-4 win over the Allen East Mustangs.
Bluffton jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning. Brianna Laing and Shannon McKamey each belted base hits and were able to score on an error by the Mustangs as they attempted to pick off McKamey stealing second. Molly Lengyel stepped up to the plate and crushed a double to left field and her pinch runner, Olivia Hunt, scored on an RBI error hit by Katie Palte.
The Lady Pirate defense held the Mustangs scoreless until the bottom of the third. With two outs, Allen East earned a base runner on a walk and Kayla Crow added a base hit. The Mustangs scored a run on a hit to center field and Crow tried to add another, but the Pirates tagged her out at home on a well executed relay from McKamey to Palte to Lengyel.
Allen East added one run in the bottom of the fifth to bring the score to 3-2 in favor of the Pirates.
The Lady Pirates blasted the leather off the ball in the top of the sixth, racking up 5 hits, 8 base runners and 6 runs to lead 9-2. Mariah Welch and Palte got the ladies started with base hits and Lexi Luginbihl joined the party on a Mustang error to load the bases.
Laing added a base hit RBI and McKamey chalked an RBI as she was walked. With bases still loaded, Ashlin Gable powered a single, scoring Luginbihl and Laing. Lengyel drove in the final two Pirate runners with a double to center field, her second double on the night.
Allen East threatened in the bottom of the sixth, with a runner on second after a walk and a steal. The Lady Pirate defense refused to back down. Palte fielded the next hit at short stop and threw for the out to Gable at first, the Mustang runner took off for third and Gable fired the ball to Adrian Rumer turning the double play.
Kayla Longworth got her second single of the night in the top of the seventh and her pinch runner, Kylee Barnett, got in scoring position with a steal. McKamey brought in Barnett with an RBI single, putting the Ladies up 10-2.
Allen East could only tally 2 runs in the bottom of the seventh as the Pirates secured the 10-4 win.
Kayla Longworth bumped her record to 11-4 as she walked 3 Mustangs and struck out 4.
The Pirates stand at 7-2 in the NWC and 12-5 overall. The Lady Pirates look to advance in sectionals as they take on the Leipsic Vikings Thursday at Pandora-Gilboa.
Bluffton stats:
Kayla Longworth-WP 11-4 4 K's, 3 BB's
Top Hitters:
Brianna Laing: 3/5, RBI
Shannon McKamey: 2/4, 2 RBI
Molly Lengyel: 2/4, 2-2B, 2 RBI
Katie Palte: 1/3, RBI
Ashlin Gable: 1/5, 2 RBI
Kayla Longworth: 2/4
