Staff writer
It was no April Fool’s joke, that softball score that popped on the GameChanger stats app Thursday evening.
It sure looked odd, and it was. But it was a wildly competitive afternoon in south Claiborne Parish.
Simsboro 31, Summerfield 29.
The LOSING team had a 10-run inning.
That came in the second frame. The Lady Tigers finally got to the dugout and came out swinging, rolling up an even BIGGER inning. After 16 runs came in, they led – by one, 18-17. Bouncing back from a 17-2 deficit entering the top of the third.
Summerfield went back on top, 19-18, going to the fifth. Simsboro posted five runs, then Summerfield responded with four to tie it at 23.
Again, the clubs added fuel to the fire. Simsboro tallied two in the top of the sixth, and Summerfield answered with three to snatch a 26-25 edge going to the last inning.
That’s when the Lady Tigers scored six times to move up 31-26. Summerfield needed a touchdown to win, but managed only a field goal. There was just one runner on when Carlei Wheeler notched a strikeout, her 10th of the day, to close out the slugfest. She faced 57 batters and threw 188 pitches in the complete game outing.
The hits, they kept on comin’ — a combined 39, 23 by the visiting squad from Simsboro, which unloaded on four different pitchers.
Summerfield lost despite stealing 12 bases and making only one error to 15 by the Lady Tigers.
Wheeler survived the onslaught in the circle in no small way because she hit for the cycle, collecting five hits, including two triples, as she drove in eight. If you aren’t keeping track, that’s an astounding 13 total bases.
Kaylea Murphy also amassed five hits, with a double and triple. Jacoya Lewis posted an impressive seven RBI with her three hits.
After chasing a yellow softball around the park for a few hours Thursday, it’s reasonable to assume the players from both sides won’t be enthusiastic about hunting for colored eggs this weekend.
TRACK & FIELD: While most of the Ruston High squad will have Easter weekend off, some of the top performers will be lining up against national-caliber competition Saturday in Mobile, Alabama.
Two-time state triple jump champion B.J. Green and distance ace Dyllon Nimmers head the Bearcats traveling to the Mobile Challenge of Champions meet. Green, a junior, is already holding offers from several top collegiate programs while Nimmers, a senior, has signed to run for LSU.
Next Friday, Ruston’s teams will again compete at home in the Ruston Invitational.