HCHS ladies ‘walk’ to win

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, March 28, 2007

AHOSKIE – The Lady Bears scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth on a bases-loaded walk.

Chelsie Malone received a free pass with the bases juiced in the sixth frame to help Hertford County secure a 3-2 Northeastern Coastal Conference win over Pasquotank here Tuesday afternoon.

The Lady Bears opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first.

Brittney Wilder singled on the infield and took second on a Brooke Stroud groundout. Amber Matthews then walked and Amber Moore reached on an error to load the bases.

Antoinette Lyles delivered a two-run single to left that scored Wilder and Matthews to give Hertford County a 2-0 lead.

Pasquotank bounced back and scored two runs in the top of the second to deadlock the score.

The Lady Bears scored the game-winning run in the sixth when Moore led off with a single to left, Lyles got on board with a bunt single and Brittney Odom did the same.

Moore scored when Malone was issued a walk to give HCHS a 3-2 lead.

In the top of the seventh, a groundout ended the game with the tying run on third.

Matthews pitched a complete game, allowing two runs and two hits while striking out seven.

“Amber pitched a great game,” HCHS Head Coach Rick Heckler said. “We had a chance to bust the game open, but didn’t in the bottom of the sixth.

“This was a good conference win for us,” he added.

The Bears recorded seven hits in the contest. Lyles led the way with a 2-for-3 day. Wilder, Stroud, Moore, Odom and Wakita Mizzell each had one hit.

A twist in the events was having a father-daughter victory for HCHS in the game.

“Very few fathers get a chance to coach with their daughters,” Rick Heckler said after the game. “Allie Heckler is our assistant coach and she is doing a good job. We are young and improving each game.”

Hertford County is 1-3 in Northeastern Coastal Conference play and will host Bertie Friday at 4:30 p.m.