Perry’s bat comes alive for Lady ’Cats in loss to Rebels
Oak Ridge’s Morgan Perry, seen here versus Campbell County at home, went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs and one home run against West last week. (photo:Tony Cox )
The Lady Wildcats (3-9, 1-4) had another tough week on the diamond.
After falling to Midway at home, 14-0, on Monday, April 1, the Lady Wildcats made the trip to Knoxville to take on West High in a game between a pair of seemingly even matched teams on Wednesday, April 3.
Things started well for the Lady Wildcats, but seven errors would prove costly in an 11-6 loss.
Oak Ridge got off to a fast start as it scored two runs in the top of the first inning. The Lady Wildcats took a 2-0 lead after an infield groundout by Morgan Perry plated Brenna Bradshaw, who led off the contest with a single, stole second and took third on a hit by Kaylee Hickman.
Hickman would cross the plate with the second run of the game on a passed ball.
The Lady Rebels would answer in the bottom of the frame when their lead-off hitter, E.B. Bibee, reached and came home on a four-base error.
West would blow things open in the bottom of the second as it sent 11 batters to the plate and scored eight times with the help of three errors by the Lady Wildcats.
The Lady Rebels had four hits in the frame including a two-run double by pitcher Brook Weaver and another scoring double by Joli Brock. By inning’s end, the Lady Rebels had a 9-2 lead and would never trail again.
Oak Ridge Coach Jeremy Gill said the defense would be the downfall for the Lady Wildcats.
“When you have an inning like that where you have a lot of errors, it’s hard to come back,” Gill said. “It’s hard to recover, but we tried.”
ORHS pulled to within 9-3 when Perry, who went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored, hit a solo home run in the top of the third.
After West High extended its advantage to 10-3 in the bottom of the third, Oak Ridge got a two-run homer from Makenzie Miller to make the score 10-5.
West took an 11-5 lead on a double by Weaver, who went 2-for-3 with two doubles, three RBIs and a run scored.
Perry’s scoring single pulled the Lady Wildcats to within 11-6.
On Thursday, Oak Ridge was shut out by Knoxville Halls 7-0, before closing the week with a 19-9 loss to Midway.