GW Lady Maroons paste Pioneers 17-2

By JIM CUNNINGHAM/Staff

The George Wythe Lady Maroons jumped out to a 10-0 lead after the first two innings and ended up with a 17-2 victory over the Fort Chiswell Lady Pioneers in a non-district softball game played Wednesday afternoon at GWHS.
The game was stopped after GW scored its 17th run in the bottom of the sixth inning to end the game early due to the 15-run slaughter rule.
The Lady Maroons rapped out 15 hits and took advantage of FC errors and walks to gain the easy win.
George Wythe improved to 7-6 overall. The team is 4-3 in the Hogoheegee District.
GW pitcher Retta Jackson scattered six hits to get the win. And Jackson was one of the hitting leaders by going 4-for-4 with three RBIs. One of her RBIs came on a bases loaded walk. Chelsey Hodge was 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Amanda Shelton was 2-for-2 with three RBIs. Brandi Blessing also collected two hits, including a solo home run.
Fort Chiswell was led in hitting by Amanda Taylor who had two hits.
Jessica Ogle got Fort Chiswell’s first hit of the game in the top of the first but was stranded.
Julie Compton and Allison Phillips drew back-to-back walks to open up the home half of the first inning. The next two batters flied out to center field, but Jackson delivered her first hit of the day to drive in two runs.
Taylor knocked a hit for FC in the second but was left on base.
The Lady Maroons blew the game open in their half of the second.
Shelton and Kelci Smith got on via walks and Brittany Krunich was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. With one out, Phillips hit a two-run single. Then Blessing followed with a single to re-load the sacks. Makenzie Kirk and Jackson followed with walks to drive in a run apiece to make it 6-0 before Chelsey Hodge pulled a single to left for two more runs. Two more runs scored on errors as GW pushed its lead to 10-0.
After FC went down in order in the top of the third, Blessing ripped a two-out home run over the left center field fence to give the Lady Maroons an 11-0 cushion.
The Lady Pioneers also went down in order in the top of the fourth, and GW continued its attack with Jackson and Hodge belting singles and Shelton drawing a walk to load the bases. Then Krunich got the first RBI of the inning when she was hit by a pitch.
Kori Mabry was then replaced on the mound by Christina Shockley who gave up a line single to center by Kelci Smith to make it 13-0 before the side was retired.
The Pioneers scored all two of their runs in the top of the fifth after the first two batters made outs. Kendra Viars and Emily Steed connected for back-to-back singles. Viars scored FC’s first run on Steed’s hit on an error.
Mabry knocked in the other run of the inning on an infield hit.
The Maroon tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run double by Shelton to drive in Jackson (who singled) and Hodge (who walked) to make it 16-2.
FC got a double by Shockley and a single by Taylor in the top of the sixth but failed to score.
The Lady Maroons reached the 15-run margin in the bottom half on a double by Jackson and a game-ending single by Hodge.
George Wythe is scheduled to travel to Northwood on Monday and to Bland County on Tuesday.

Fort Chiswell 000 020 – 2 6 4
George Wythe 281 321 – 17 15 2
Mabry, Shockley (4) and Taylor. Jackson and Hodge. W—Jackson. L—Mabry.
(T – 1:34)