LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Having arguably the best season ever, the Covenant Lady Scots sent their six seniors out with a doubleheader split of LaGrange College by winning the first game 1-0 before falling in the second game 3-2. Covenant gets its 20th win of the year, which sets a school record, and is now 20-12 overall. LaGrange, meanwhile, moves to 20-15.
The six seniors consisted of Lindsey Potter, Kristen Walker, Claire Settle, Kim Cuticchia, Rebekah Marbury, and Kimberlee Peebles. Each of the six played an important role in helping the upstart softball program, which began playing at the varsity level in 2008, get to where it stands today.
In the first game, one of those seniors got the biggest hit of the day for the Lady Scots. Lindsey Potter's run-scoring single in the bottom of the 6th inning was enough to propel Covenant to the win. Courtney Wagoner began the inning with a double and was pinch run for by Chandler Shepherd. Potter then took the 1-0 pitch up the middle just past the diving shortstop, and Shepherd was able to beat the throw home from center field to put Covenant up 1-0.
That run was all Covenant ace Chelsea Krafft needed in the game as the right-hander threw a complete game shutout. Krafft scattered 6 hits over her 7 innings while walking 1 and striking out 6. She worked out of a jam in the 2nd inning that saw the Lady Panthers put runners on first and second with no outs. But Krafft got back-to-back punch outs to end the inning and the threat for LaGrange.
In game two, Covenant got on the board first in the 2nd inning when Sonja Townsend grounded into a fielder's choice with the bases loaded, allowing Potter to score on the play from third base making it 1-0 Covenant. In the 3rd, however, LaGrange finally got to Krafft as Courtney Beshel won an 11-pitch at-bat when she smacked a 2-run home run over the left-center field fence to put the Lady Panthers up 2-1.
Covenant would respond in the 4th inning with a RBI single from Rebekah Marbury that plated Potter and tied the game at 2-2. Again, LaGrange had the answer as Shanna Brumbelow put the Lady Panthers in the lead for good with a double that scored Beshel. The Lady Scots could not get anything going on offense in the final 3 innings as LaGrange reliever Kayla Folds retired all 10 batters she faced.
Krafft gets the loss in game two, but she pitched another complete game. Krafft gave up 3 runs on 9 base hits, walked 1, and struck out 6 in her outing. Krafft's record after the day goes to 16-6 on the season.
Lindsey Potter went 5-for-6 in the doubleheader with an RBI and 2 runs scored in her final home game. Rebekah Marbury went 2-for-3 in game two with a run batted in and Sonja Townsend went 1-for-3 in the second game with an RBI also.
The Lady Scots will now await to see who they will face in the NCCAA Mid-East Region playoffs that begin on Monday, May 2 on Lookout Mountain. The winner of that tournament will advance to play in the NCCAA Softball National Tournament in Botetcourt County, Virginia, May 12-14.
