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One (or 12) for the books
Hibriten softball team sets school's wins record for a season By Justin Parker, Sports editor When Kayla Brown's triple drove in Erika Pratt and Emily Mills Tuesday, it gave Hibriten's softball team its 11th and 12th runs in a 12-2, six-inning win over Newton-Conover. More significantly perhaps, it gave the Panthers their 12th win of the season and snapped last year's school record for a year's worth of wins (11) by improving to 12-5 overall. “I have been on varsity for three years now,” Brown said. “I'm just happy to have a record here at Hibriten.” Now, the Panthers, 10-3 in the Catawba Valley Athletic Conference, are at the top among the league's seven 2-A schools. Bandys, which was tied with Hibriten, lost to St. Stephens 5-4 Tuesday and is now 9-4. Aside from driving in the game-winning runs in Hibriten's six-run sixth, Brown provided the Panthers with their lone run in the fifth on a double she nearly stretched into more. Brown was one of six Panthers with multiple hits and one of five with extra base hits Tuesday. Two players, Krista Sumpter and Bailey Goble, had three hits in four at-bats apiece. The second and third batters in the lineup, respectively, Sumpter and Goble combined with leadoff hitter Chelsea Walker to go 8-for-12. In all, Hibriten totaled 15 hits. “We put the bat on the ball,” Hibriten coach Jim Blanton said. Goble had been leading off, but Blanton moved her down in the lineup in order to give the strong hitter some RBI opportunities. “Bailey's hitting the ball so well so we had to get some people on in front of her,” Blanton said. It paid off. Goble drove in three runs, including two on a triple in the fourth. Still, Hibriten had to come from behind to win. Newton-Conover scored a run in the first on a groundout by Cayley Berry, then took a 2-0 lead in the second when a fouled popup by Taylor Berry took Hibriten catcher Sumpter out of play. Each Red Devil runner was awarded a base on the play. Hibriten responded with three runs in the third on three hits, a fielder's choice and two passed balls. Goble had a hard-hit RBI single off the leg of Red Devil pitcher Evannana Robinson and Pratt had a double in the frame. The Panthers unloaded in the sixth inning, with seven hits producing the six runs. Walker led off with a double, while Sumpter, Goble, Sarah Bentley, Pratt and Mills reached on hits before Brown shut it down. Her triple to deep center induced the 10-run mercy rule. She said she got a pitch down the middle and wasn't going to miss it. “I love to drive it,” Brown said. “That's what I set for and did.” Hibriten's Ashlyn Pope threw another solid game. The sophomore struck out 10 batters in six innings and allowed just four hits. “She hit her spots real well today,” Blanton said. “I thought her fastball was lively. She did well, threw the ball real well today.” The Panthers have a key CVAC game Thursday, at home against St. Stephens.
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