Lady Cougars score road win

EDEN — How funny things can change in just a week. In an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel, Rockingham County rode its starter Macey Wilson, who struck out six and limited Morehead to just two hits, as the Lady Cougars avenged last week’s loss with a 2-0 win Tuesday afternoon at Freedom Park.
It was Morehead’s first loss of the season.
Just five days ago, it was Morehead and its starter Ashlee Lemons that held RCHS in check and won a 2-1 contest in Wentworth.
Lemons retired 14 of the first 15 batters she faced and Wilson was equally strong, setting down 12 of her first 14.
Through the first four innings of play, Rockingham’s only base runner was an infield single from Mariah Seidelman. An Amber Lemons walk and Brittany Tucker being hit by a pitch were Morehead’s lone runners heading into the fifth inning.
That’s when defense or a lack of defense played a major role.
In the top of the fifth inning, Ashlee Lemons set down the first two batters she faced – via strikeouts. She finished with seven strikeouts and no walks. However, with two outs, Elizabeth Ferguson singled to right field and later stole second. Anna Carter drove in the game’s first run with a double to right. Leading 1-0, the Lady Cougars added to their lead when Kenzie Hanks reached on a Morehead throwing error and Carter came home to score.
It was Morehead’s only error of the game.Lemons then settled back in and retired the Lady Cougars in order in both the sixth and seventh innings.
Morehead threatened, but could not score, in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
In the bottom of the fifth, Celina Jeffery reached base via the first and only RCHS miscue. With Jeffery on second base, Wilson then took over and struck out the next three batters to end the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Lady Panthers got a one-out single from Mandi McCullough. McCullough stole second, but Wilson got back-to-back fly outs to end the threat.
In the team’s final at-bat, Kayla Price singled to lead off the seventh. However, attempting to steal second, Price was cut down by Rockingham catcher Jennifer Taylor. Wilson then struck out Jeffery and got Amber Lemons to ground out to shortstop Lindsey Puckett to end the game.
With the win, RCHS improved to 6-2 overall and 4-2 in the Triad 3-A Conference. Morehead is now 8-1-1 overall and 6-1 in conference play.
Both teams return to action today.
Morehead faces conference power Bartlett Yancey in Yanceyville and Rockingham faces both Northeast Guilford and Northern Guilford in Wentworth.
Games begin at 4:30 p.m. today.