Post Photo by Chris Siers Brianna Horn delivers a first-inning strike against Blackman. She fanned 10 batters and went the distance for the Lady Champs.
By CHRIS SIERS
csiers@bedfordcountypost.com
BELL BUCKLE — A handful of runs, highlighted by a second-inning home run, was more than Cascade was able to overcome in its 2024 season opener as the Lady Champs dropped a 7-2 loss to visiting Blackman on Monday night.
After starting Cascade pitcher Brianna Horn danced around trouble in the first and stranded a Lady Blaze runner at third, Blackman took advantage of a hit batter in the second and jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a two-run homer by Addison Odell.
Blackman added to its lead with a steal home to take a 3-0 lead in the third.
Things then went from from bad to worse in the fourth inning.
Sophia Compton led off the Lady Blaze fourth with a triple to right.
An error and another run scored off a runner scampering home bumped the Blackman lead to 4-0.
Blackman got three more runs in the inning, including two off a pair of RBI singles and a RBI double.
Trailing 7-0, Cascade got the rally caps on in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Ella Thompson was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Kyndal Bolden followed with a single to left to put two on with no outs.
Following a strikeout, Aliva Fannin hit a sac-fly to right, scoring Thompson for the first Cascade run of the night.
With two outs, Claire Perry stepped to the plate and drove in a second Lady Champion run of the inning in a line drive to center field, but that was all the run support the Lady Champs could get in their opener, as Blackman recorded a scoreless final three innings to preserve its 7-2 win over Cascade.
Perry, Thompson, Bolden and Alayna Cruse all singled for Cascade.
Horn went the distance for Cascade and gave up seven runs, only four of which were earned, on seven hits, while striking out 10 batters.
Cascade will be back on the field on Thursday for its first road trip of the season at Coffee County.
Blackman 021 400 0 — 7 7 0
Cascade 000 200 0 — 2 4 2
Post Photo by Chris Siers Ella Thompson makes contact on a pitch and finds a bloop single for the first Lady Champion hit of the night.
Cascade: Ella Thompson 1-for-2, Kyndal Bolden 1-for-3, Claire Perry 1-for-3, Alayna Cruse 1-for-3.
WP: Gilmore
LP: Horn
