Freshman McKay Hickman came home with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Lady Trojans won their softball home opener 4-3 over Jackson last week. The win avenged a loss to the Lady Devils in the Spalding Invitational tournament. Hickman, courtesy running for catcher Megan Carter, started the extra inning at second base per high school softball extra inning rules and advanced to third base on a bunt by Chloe Hubbard. Tyler Burnette popped out to second base. The Jackson second baseman tried to double Hickman off third but threw wildly, allowing Hickman to come home with the game winner. The Lady Devils led the game 2-0 through five innings. Jessi McDaniel led off the Lamar half of the fifth with a triple and scored on Abby Walker’s double. Walker scored on Hailey McKneely’s double and McKneely scored the go ahead run on a base hit by Katelyn Robinson. Jackson tied the score with a run in the sixth and threatened in both the seventh and eighth innings. Shortstop McKneely shut the door on both rallies by turning a double play in the sixth and robbing Jackson of a RBI single in the seventh. She dove behind the second base bag to snare a ball and got up to her knees and threw off-balance to first to get the runner. Walker started on the mound and pitched seven plus innings before giving out of gas. She allowed two earned runs on eight hits and a walk and hit batter. Freshman Tamara Watts relieved Walker in the eighth and got the win getting all three batters she faced.
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