Phil Campbell split a pair of games with two Mississippi teams on Saturday, beating Tishomingo County 5-1 and then suffering a 5-4 walk-off loss to Corinth.
The Lady Bobcats (9-3) were tied 1-1 with Tish Couny in the top of the third when senior shortstop Leeah Jackson went deep for the third straight game and the fifth time this season, launching a solo shot to center to make it 2-1. That was enough offense for sophomore pitcher Emily Swinney (4-0), who allowed just one earned run on four hits in a five-inning complete game.
Phil Campbell scored three insurance runs in the top of the fifth. Kenner Scott doubled to left, and Jackson was intentionally walked. Both runners scored on a two-run single by Abby Davis, and Davis eventually came home on a groundout by Olivia Knight to make it 5-1.
Swinney, who did not strike out a batter but walked only two, got three groundball outs in the bottom of the fifth to finish off the win.
The Lady Bobcats scored their first run in the top of the second. Senior outfielder Darby Elliott doubled to right and then came home when Kaci Harris reached on an error to tie the game 1-1.
Jackson finished 1-for-1 with a home run, two walks and two runs scored. Davis was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and Scott, Elliott and Swinney each had one hit.
In Saturday’s second game, Phil Campbell trailed Corinth 3-1 before scoring three runs in the top of the fifth. Katie Thomas reached on an error with one out, but Scott flew to center for the second out. Corinth elected to intentionally walk Jackson [the Snead State signee is batting .640 on the season with five homers and 13 RBIs] rather than risk her tying the game with another long ball. The move backfired when Davis smacked a two-run triple to right field. She then scored when Chloe Roberson reached on an error, putting the Lady Bobcats in front 4-3.
The lead wouldn’t last, however, as Corinth scored twice in the bottom of the fifth on a double and two singles, including a walk-off hit that gave them a 5-4 win.
Emma Ergle (5-3) took the loss for Phil Campbell, allowing five earned runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings. She struck out three and walked two.
Corinth jumped in front in the bottom of the first, scoring twice on a single, a triple and a sac fly. The Lady Bobcats got on the board in the top of the fourth, loading the bases on a single by Davis and walks to Roberson and Knight. Elliott came through with a sacrifice fly to chase home Davis and make it a 2-1 game.
Corinth scored a run in the bottom of the fourth to go up 3-1 and set the stage for the wild fifth inning.
Davis finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. She was 6-for-11 in four games this weekend with five RBIs and four runs scored. Harris had Phil Campbell’s only other hit against Corinth and also stole a base. Jackson and Thomas each scored a run and stole a base.
In previous action:
Hamilton 13 Phil Campbell 1
Leeah Jackson’s solo home run in the top of the fourth was Phil Campbell’s only hit in Friday’s lopsided loss to Hamilton.
The Lady Aggies broke up a scoreless game with six runs in the bottom of the second before adding two more in the third and five in the fourth.
Phil Campbell 7 Belgreen 1
Leeah Jackson, Katie Thomas and Abby Davis had two hits apiece, and Emily Swinney did not allow an earned run for Phil Campbell in Friday’s win over the county rival Lady Bulldogs.
Thomas walked to lead off the top of the first, and Jackson singled with one out. Thomas scored on a groundout by Davis, and Jackson later stole home to make it 2-0.
Thomas sparked another rally in the top of the third with a base hit. Kenner Scott walked, and one out later Davis reached on an infield single to load the bases. Thomas came home on Chloe Roberson’s grounder to third, stretching the lead to 3-0.
Swinney allowed a leadoff hit in the bottom of the third before retiring the next six Belgreen batters in a row. The Lady Bobcats broke the game open with a four-run top of the fifth, highlighted by Jackson’s two-run homer to center. Darby Elliott also drove in a run with a bunt single, and Karley Ergle had an RBI groundout.
Swinney got the complete game win, holding Belgreen to five hits and one walk in five innings. Jackson was 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBIs, two runs and two stolen bases. Thomas went 2-for-3 and scored three times, and Davis was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
Roberson was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run, and Knight and Elliott also had one hit each.
