In a game that combined for 24 hits, the visitors came out on up.
Class 4A No. 16 Floyd Central collected 13 hits in a 12-7 Hoosier Hills Conference win at Seymour’s softball field on Tuesday evening.
The Highlanders (15-6) jumped on the Owls (8-11) in the first inning, using three doubles to plate three runs.
Both teams went down in order in the second inning.
SHS got on the board in the third inning, as Carlee Robinson’s sacrifice cut the Highlanders lead to 3-1.
In the fourth inning, both teams got their offenses rolling.
Taryn Weddle hit a two-run triple to deep right field before an RBI single from Molly Sneed extended the Highlanders’ lead to 6-1. Cassie Thomerson hit a two-run double and Erica Endris followed with an RBI single to push the lead to 9-1 going into the bottom of the inning.
The Owls put on a home run derby with the next at-bats.
Kate Snook and Haley Mobley hit back-to-back home runs to cut the Owls’ deficit to 3-1 before Jozie Nicholson reached on an error. With the next at-bat, Rachel Kaufman blasted a homer to center to cut the deficit to 9-5.
Floyd continued batting around in the fifth, as Weddle hit an RBI double to put the visitors up 10-5.
In the top of the sixth, the Highlanders added two more, on an RBI double and fielder’s choice, to lead 12-5.
Kaufman hit an RBI single in the bottom of the six, and Alyssa Perry had one in the seventh, as the Owls’ rally fell short.
Kaufman, Mobley and Grace Meyer all had two hits to lead the Owls.
Owls coach Jerry Burton said the Highlanders are an offensive threat.
“When they put the ball in play like the way they do, they really keep your on your toes on defense,” he said. “There are no easy outs. They played a really good game to give themselves an opportunity to win.”
Stephanni Kleber took the loss in the circle for the Owls, pitching five innings with 10 hits, four strikeouts, one walk and nine runs. Mikayla Moore pitched in the fifth and sixth innings for SHS. Highlanders freshman Maggie Jo Foreman was the winning pitcher.
Despite the loss, Burton feels the team is getting better as sectional approaches.
Seymour will host Edinburgh on Thursday.