SOFTBALL: Elverado tops Tuscola, beaten by Benton
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Elverado traveled to Benton on Saturday for a pair of softball games, splitting the two by knocking off Tuscola 12-11 before falling to Benton 13-3.
"We gave up 24 runs and only 7 were earned," said Lady Falcons' head coach Donette Wheatley. "Our defense has got to get better. Fortunately, we won one."
In the first game, a pair of errors aided a six-run third inning for Tuscola and two more miscues led to five more runs in the sixth as EHS trailed 11-3 heading into the top of the seventh.
Two walks and an error loaded the bases for Lacey Qualls with one out, and the Elverado third baseman drove in two with a single. Erika Will followed with a triple to drive in two more, then Tori Porter drew a walk to put two runners on for Meghann Trammel.
Trammel delivered with an RBI double to make it 11-8, then Chelsea Cochran hit a sacrifice fly to center. Teague walked for the second time in the inning before Sami Hicks singled to keep the inning alive.
Corrine Wilson singled up the middle to cut the lead to one, then it was Abby Grammer's single to left field that drove in the tying and go-ahead runs for the Lady Falcons.
Teague worked around an error in the bottom of the inning to nail down her first victory of the season, allowing 11 hits, 3 earned runs, 3 walks and recording 4 strikeouts.
"We had ten errors, but fortunately we never quit," said Wheatley. "Kelsi Teague threw a heck of a game. Scoring nine in the top of the seventh was big."
Grammer (3-3, 2 BB, R, 3 RBI) and Hicks (3-4, BB, 3 R) each had three hits to lead Elverado's offense. Trammel (1-4, 2B, HBP, 2 R, RBI), Cochran (1-4, SAC, 3B, R, 2 RBI), Wilson (1-4, SAC, R, RBI), Qualls (1-3, SAC, HBP, R, 2 RBI) and Will (1-3, 3B, SAC, R, 2 RBI) also had hits. Teague was 0-for-2 but scored and drove in a run while drawing three walks. Faith Odom was 0-for-3, but walked and scored.
Things started off well in the Lady Falcons' second game of the day as well, but it was defense that let them down after jumping out to a 3-0 lead against Benton.
"We took advantage of a couple errors and scored three runs, but then we lost all steam," Wheatley said. "Too many errors."
A single by Cochran along with walks to Teague and Wilson set things up for two Lady Rangerette errors to account for Elverado's three runs in the top of the first.
Wilson surrendered two runs on three consecutive hits after retiring the leadoff batter in the bottom of the inning, then an error allowed two more runs to cross the plate and Benton was out in front 4-3.
Three more errors would prove costly for EHS, leading to a 13-3 deficit and a five inning short-game result.
Cochran had all three of Elverado's hits in the game, going 3-for-3 with three singles and a run scored. Teague (0-1, 2 BB, R) and Wilson (0-2, BB, R) scored the other runs for the Falcons. Wilson was the losing pitcher, but only 4 of the 13 runs she allowed were earned.
<u>Galatia comes back on EHS</u>
Elverado built a 5-2 lead at Galatia on Friday, but couldn't hold on, allowing seven runs in the sixth inning and losing 13-5.
"We played a great ball game for five innings, then the flood gates opened," said Wheatley. "You can't have nine errors and give up nine unearned runs and expect to win."
Cochran had a stellar day at the dish with a 3-for-4 effort, scoring twice and driving in three runs with a single, a double and a triple. Hicks (2-4, 2B, RBI) and Wilson (2-3, R) had the other Elverado hits.
Wilson picked up the loss, with a strikingly similar line to the Benton game - 13 runs allowed, but only 4 earned.
The Lady Falcons (3-5) are at Hamilton County on Monday for a 4:00 p.m. game.