Lady Dragons dominate Fulton, fall to Halls
Clinton High School’s softball team has already experienced the highs and lows of a new season.
The Lady Dragons split their first two games of the 2025 campaign last week.
Clinton opened its season with an 18-0 win over Fulton in a three-inning game at Christenberry Elementary School on Tuesday, March 4.
The Lady Dragons’ pitching staff was flawless, combining for a perfect game.
Mandy Chambers started on the mound, pitching two innings with one strikeout, before handing the ball to Elizabeth Maples.
Maples closed out the game with a scoreless third inning, striking out two of the three batters she faced.
The Lady Dragons (1-1) wasted no time at the plate, scoring five runs in the first inning. They added eight more in the second and sealed the run-rule victory with five additional runs in the third.
Tegan Bunch led the offense, going 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, and two runs scored.
Elizabeth Graham was 2-for-3, with three RBIs and a run scored.
Sara Bishop also made an impact, doubling to drive in three runs, and scoring once.
Senior Taylor Bishop was 1-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI, while freshman Bryana Holt impressed in her high school debut, recording two hits, two RBIs, and a run scored.
The Lady Dragons faced a tougher challenge Thursday, falling 9-0 to District 3-4A favorite Knoxville Halls.
Despite the lopsided score, Clinton Coach Leonard Sams remained positive.
“We played pretty well,” he said. “We just had some breaks that didn’t go our way and some calls that didn’t go our way, but it’s early.
“We hit the ball well and we hit the ball hard. We just hit it right at people.”
Senior first baseman Lynnlee Adkins managed a two-out single in the first inning, but was left stranded as Halls’ senior pitcher Emery Bales ended the threat.
Halls took control quickly, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning, including a leadoff home run by McKaylie Hutchison off Clinton starter Taylor Sherwood.
Sherwood struggled with the pitching surface, allowing two walks and hitting two batters in the inning.
“The mound was really slick,” Sams said. “That home run bothered Taylor a little bit.”
The Lady Devils added three more runs in the second inning and extended their lead with single runs in the fourth and sixth innings.
Bales was dominant, tossing a complete game. She allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out five.
Sherwood, Maples, Adkins and Graham had singles for the Lady Dragons, who resume play Thursday at the Ripken RBI Tournament.
