LADY BOBCATS SURGING: Ariyon Hightower powers her team to big victory
Published 12:05 am Thursday, March 8, 2018
- Ariyon Hightower helped led the Lady Bobcats to a big win. Josh Dutton/Star-News
The Opp Lady Bobcats stormed past the Kinston Lady Bulldogs for a pair of victories on Tuesday afternoon in Opp.
VARSITY
OPP 10, KINSTON 2
In varsity action, the Lady Bobcats used the long ball to down the Lady Bulldogs 10-2.
Opp’s Ariyon Hightower showed why she was named to the AHSAA South All-Star team last season with a scorching performance at the plate.
The Lady Bulldogs simply had no answer for the power-hitting senior.
Hightower launched a pair of home runs in her two official plate appearances.
Kinston decided not to give Hightower a chance to do more damage with her bat, and walked her twice intentionally.
Hightower finished 2-for-2 with four RBIs, three runs scored, two home runs and two walks.
Laura Lee Short went 2-for-4 with a four RBIs, one double and one run scored.
Loyrn Prayter finished the game 2-for-3 with three runs scored, two singles and one RBI.
Payton Brown went 2-for-4 with two singles and one run scored.
In the pitcher’s circle, Graceanna Spears picked up the win with a dazzling performance.
Spears pitched a complete game, allowed no earned runs and struck out a career-high 17 batters.
JUNIOR VARSITY
OPP 3, KINSTON 2
In the junior varsity action, the Lady Bobcats pulled out a thrilling 3-2 extra-inning victory over Kinston.
Anna Beth Kendrick picked up one of the biggest hits of the night when she drove in the game-winning run with a single in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Kendrick went 2-for-4 with two singles and one RBI.
Mary Allen Rhoades went 1-for-3 with a double and one RBI.
Elizabeth Baxley finished 1-for-3 with a single and scored the game-winning run.
Riley Walker picked up the win for the Lady Bobcats going seven innings and striking out 12 batters.