Game of the Week: Softball Lady Bucs cruise past Grafton in 11-3 victory

Duane Carpenter
March 27, 2023

TENNERTON – A huge first inning lifted the Buckhannon-Upshur softball Lady Bucs to a dominate 11-3 five-inning victory over the Grafton Bearcats in Big 10 Conference victory Monday night at the high school.

After giving up a run in the top of the first, B-U responded with a six-run first inning and never looked back en route to the eight-run win.

The Lady Bucs pounded out 11 hits in the shortened contest.

“We hit the ball well as a team,” stated Buckhannon-Upshur head coach Levi Bender. “We had constant contact and battled when we were behind on the count. That was really the difference in the game. We were helped out by some Grafton miscues, but we took advantage of them which is what really matters.”

One of the players that helped the B-U offense was freshman shortstop Reagan Mason who had a pair of hits and drove in two runs in the win.

“We had a good game, and I think that keeping our bats moving and keeping our energy up helped us be successful,” said Mason. “After our season-opening loss to Lincoln, it has been nice getting these early season wins because we are so young. It shows that we can compete with other teams and be just as successful as them, if not even more.”

After giving up an unearned run in the top of the first, the Lady Bucs sent 11 batters to the plate in their bottom of the first six-run inning, with Kailey Hart having the lone extra-base hit, a one-run double.

Hart led off the bottom of the second with a single and later scored on a single from Mason making it a 7-1 game.

Grafton scored a pair of runs in the top of the third to close the gap to 7-3, but B-U responded with a three-run fourth inning getting a two-run single from Alyssa Abel and she later scored on a Grafton error giving the Lady Bucs a 10-3 lead.

The Lady Bucs ended the game in the bottom of the fifth when Taylor Spratt brought home Reese Curry with a single after Curry was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.

Hart led the 11-hit attack with three while Jansen Kimble, Spratt, Abel and Mason each had two.

Kimble picked up the win throwing all five innings. She gave up two earned runs on four hits while striking out five.

“Kimble threw really well tonight,” said Bender. “She kept her pitch count down and the defense made the plays behind here when it mattered.”

Abby Wyer led Grafton with two hits.

Lillie Crimm suffered the loss for Grafton tossing 4 1/3 innings while surrendering five earned runs on 11 hits.

The win improved the Lady Bucs to 2-1 overall and in the Big 10 heading into tomorrow’s road conference game at Liberty.

First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.

The boxscore:

Grafton 102 00 – 3

Buckhannon-Upshur 610 31 – 11

E – Grafton 2; Buckhannon-Upshur 1. DP – None. LoB – Grafton 5; Buckhannon-Upshur 4. 2B – Hart. SAC – Wyer. SB – Wyer 3, Abel 1, Curry 1, Kimble 1, Lantz 1 Spratt 1.

Hitting

Grafton – Mattie Shaver c, 2 2 1 0; Kaleigh Spiker 2b, 3 0 0 0; Abby Wyer 3b, 2 1 2 1; Ava Schommer-Klebe 1b, 2 0 0 1; Lillie Crimm p, 3 0 1 0; Serenitee Swaney ss, 2 0 0 0; Jade Hall lf, 2 0 0 0; Chelsea Mauller eh, 1 0 0 0; Jeri Wolford eh, 0 0 0 0; Savanna Wyckoff rf, 2 0 0 0; Mya Collins cr, 0 0 0 0; Italy Schommere-Klebe cf, 0 0 0 0. Totals 19 4 2 3.

Buckhannon-Upshur – Jansen Kimble p, 4 0 2 2; Taylor Spratt 1b, 4 2 2 1; Kailey Hart 3b, 3 3 3 1; Alyssa Abel c, 3 2 2 2; Quinn Burnside eh, 3 1 0 1; Reagan Mason ss, 3 1 2 2; Katarah Linger 2b, 3 0 0 0; Sophie Lantz lf, 2 1 0 0; Reese Curry cf, 1 1 0 0; Shaylee Hebb rf, 0 0 0 0. Totals 26 11 11 9.

Pitching

Grafton – Crimm (L): 4 1/3 innings, 11 hits, 11 runs, 5 earned runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, 1 wild pitch, 1 hit by pitch (Curry).

Buckhannon-Upshur – Kimble (W): 5 innings, 4 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned runs, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts.