Lady Devils score late to beat PV

Lady Devils score late to beat PV
KEVIN MAYS / Associate Sports Editor

BIG STONE GAP "? Two big innings led to a big win for the Gate City Lady Blue Devils Wednesday.

The Lady Blue Devils (1-1) scored three runs in the sixth inning and added five more in the seventh inning to take a 10-4 non-district win over the host Powell Valley Lady Vikings (2-1).

Gate City freshman Ashton Dougherty, batting in the number nine spot in the order, did a lot of the damage for the Lady Blue Devils late in the game.

Dougherty went 3-for-3 at the plate with a sacrifice fly, including a two-RBI triple in the sixth inning and a three-run double in the seventh inning. She finished the day with a total of six RBIs.

"We had some young girls that came through for us,"? said Gate City second-year coach Amy Bledsoe. "We are young, but we got some kids that can play."?

Lindsey Burke, Kaitlan Lane, Shianna Grills and winning pitcher Tirzah Lane (1-0) all had two hits for the Lady Blue Devils as Gate City pounded out 13 hits in the contest.

The bottom of the order provided four hits and four runs for Gate City and got the attention of Powell Valley coach Paul Clendenon.

"The difference in that game was their seven, eight and nine hitters,"? said Clendenon. "They just pounded the ball and killed us and we came unraveled."?

Gate City held a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth inning when the Lady Vikings put together three runs, powered by a two-run home run from Cassie Sturgill who finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs in the game.

Chabrae Roark started the rally in the fifth for the Lady Vikings by reaching on a fielder's choice. Roark then scored on a double to left field from Marie Chandler before Sturgill drilled the ball over the left field fence to put Powell Valley ahead 4-2.

Gate City rallied in the top of the sixth by scoring three runs and added five more in the seventh.

Chandler went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI while Kayla Holdway went 2-for-4 at the plate. Holdway (1-1) suffered her first pitching loss of the season after throwing the complete game.

Grills relieved Tirzah Lane in the sixth inning to pick up her first save of the season.