Tigers pound out 15 hits to defeat Braves

Every time Logan Elm managed to dent the plate on Thursday, visiting Circleville always had an answer in a 14-5 Mid-State League Buckeye Division win.

“I was impressed with the way our kids approached the game and how they answered every time Logan Elm did something,” Circleville coach Dave Truex said.

The Tigers scored twice in the first and doubled their lead in the third to take a 4-0 lead. Logan Elm responded with three runs in the third to make it a one-run game.

Circleville countered with a four-run fifth.

Claire Davis and Cara Cooper worked a pair of walks and Davis scored on a passed ball.

Gabby McConnell helped her own cause by lining a double to left that chased home Cooper.

After a strikeout, back-to-back singles to center by Gracie Riddick and Amaya Fauver scored McConnell and Riddick.

The Braves trimmed their deficit to 8-5 in their half of the inning on the strength of RBI singles from Sadie Binkley and Ryleigh Wolfe that scored Lynsay VanHoose, who earlier reached on a single to left, and Binkley.

Circleville delivered a knockout blow by scoring six runs in the sixth.

Davis and Cooper opened the frame with back-to-back singles and advanced on a passed ball.

Circleville shortstop Cara Cooper makes a throw to first base last week. Cooper had three hits, scored four runs and drove in two runs in a win on Thursday over Logan Elm. File photos by Brad Morris/SportingPumpkin.com

Ella Michael singled to left to knock in Davis and McConnell followed by grounding out to second to drive in Cooper.

After Katie Folkes reached on an error, Michael scored on a wild pitch and Folkes later came around to dent the plate on a dropped third strike that allowed Fauver to reach.

The Tigers scored their final two runs of the inning on a single to short by Chandler Hayes.

“Logan Elm threw all three of its pitchers and I felt our kids did a nice job of adjusting to each pitcher, not chasing balls and looking for their pitch to hit,” Truex said.

Cooper paced the Tigers by going 3-for-4 with four runs scored and two RBI, McConnell also turned in a 3-for-4 day with four RBI and a run scored and Davis accounted for a 2-for-4 stat line with three runs scored. Fauver and Hayes added a pair of hits.

Binkley went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored and Wolfe was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored for the Braves.

McConnell claimed the win for the Tigers, scattering nine hits and five earned runs over seven innings. She walked two and struck out three.

“Gabby only walked a couple of batters, which was a big key, and she minimized the damage Logan Elm did when they had some scoring situations,” Truex said. “Other than the three hits by Binkley, the rest of their hits were pretty scattered it felt like.”