After a shaky start, the Straughn Lady Tigers rallied to defeat area rival Ashford 13-5 Tuesday night at home.

 

Ashford’s first batter singled to start the game, and scored the first run of the contest following an error.

 

The Lady Yellow Jackets added to their lead in the top of the second off multiple errors by the Lady Tigers. The Lady Tigers committed three errors, and allowed a pop up to fall between two infielders that led to the Lady Yellow Jackets plating four runs to take a 5-0 lead.

 

“The first two or three innings were as bad as this bunch has every played,” Lady Tigers’ head coach Kenny Skipper said. “We looked like it was the first day of practice out there. Thankfully, they are old enough and mature enough not to let it get them down too much.”

 

Hayden Willis took over on the mound for the Lady Tigers with two outs in the top of the second inning, and kept the Lady Yellow Jackets from plating another run.

 

With two outs in the bottom of the third and Katelyn Kinsaul on first, Molly Stewart laced an RBI triple into the gap in right-center to put the Lady Tigers on the board.

 

Brentley Armstrong sparked the offense in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out solo home run to cut the Lady Yellow Jackets lead down to 5-2.

 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Lady Tigers opened up the floodgates, and took control of the game.

 

Willis, Colby Adams and Kinsaul all reached to start the bottom of the inning, and Stewart walked to score Willis from third.

 

Jacie Williamson plated Adams with a sacrifice fly to cut the Lady Yellow Jackets lead down to one.

 

Paige Taylor then tied the game at 5-5 with a single that brought Kinsaul around to score.

 

The Lady Tigers took the lead when Armstrong drove in Stewart, then went ahead 8-5 when Kristen Peavey scored on a passed ball.

 

After retiring Ashford in the top of the sixth, the Lady Tigers picked right back up where they left off, and plated five more runs to put the game out of reach.

 

Armstrong drove in two more runs, and Williamson, Peavey and Dee Gantt each knocked in one run each in the inning.

 

“We got some big two-out hits,” Skipper said. “That RBI triple from Stewart, and the solo home run from Armstrong really got us going. It wasn’t very good the first few innings, but I was proud of the way the girls fought back and took control of the game.”

 

Armstrong led the Tigers, going 2-for-3 at the plate with four RBIs.

 

Willis picked up the win on the mound, and didn’t allow a run in 6.1innings of work.