By Wade Holland
Continuing to play without star shortstop Makenzie Grant, who is out with an illness, the Lynn Camp Lady Cats have not flinched and won for the third straight game on Thursday in a 10-9 thriller over visiting Berea.
Lynn Camp took an early lead against the visiting Lady Pirates and never trailed after the second inning, but had to hold off a late rally that was aided by multiple fielding errors, for the win.
The Lady Cats scored 10 runs on 12 hits in the win. Freshman Katie Miller led the way offensively with three hits in four at bats. She also scored a run while playing stellar defense at second.
Freshman Gabby Carollo also had a big game at the plate, going two-for-three with three RBI and two runs scored. Junior Kaley Hendrickson added two hits and two RBI with two runs scored for the winners.
Senior Erin Holland, who made multiple plays in the outfield that helped stagnate Berea rallies, had two hits and two runs scored with an RBI.
Freshmen Halle Mills and Olivia Dozier, along with sophomore Julia Shepherd, all added a hit each. Mills scored a run. Shepherd and Dozier added RBI.
Mills, who normally starts in left field when she is not pitching, has filled in at shortstop this week during Grant’s absence, and, while showing some rust from not playing the position on a regular basis, has been lights out in tough situations. She recorded the final out against Berea with runners on second and third to stop the Lady Pirates’ rally.
Sophomore Mady Roberts went the distance on the mound for the win, striking out five in the complete-game victory while hitting the strike zone with 65 percent of her pitches.
The victory was the third in as many nights for the Lady Cats, who are now 9-6 overall including a 4-1 mark against regional opponents. Lynn Camp is a perfect 3-0 within 51st District play and controls its own destiny in the battle for the top seed in the post-season tournament.
Up next for Lynn Camp is a Friday trip to McKee to face the Jackson County Lady Generals. Lynn Camp beat Jackson Co. earlier this week by one run in nine-innings.
