photo submitted
Engineers wait to celebrate with Kaylee Riddell after she belted a recent homerun.
By Blain Click
CV&T Sports Reporter
The Estill County lady engineer softball team went 2-2 on the week as they continue to show flashes of some good softball in their up-and -down start. Estill starts as many as six freshmen and/or 8th graders in select games.
The week started on Tuesday, March 26 as the Neers hosted the Briar Jumpers from Somerset who were coming fresh off a victory over Lexington Catholic. Somerset got on the board early, scoring two in top of the first.
The Engineers followed up with a run of their own in the bottom of the first on a single up the middle by Emma Winkle, scoring eight grader Maci Muncie and cutting the lead to 2-1 after one. After Somerset notched another run in the second, Lauren Farmer singled to left, scoring Sr. Amelia Farmer. With the lead still 3-2 in the fourth, shortstop Mia Hale smashed a hard grounder up the middle scoring Emma Winkle, and the score was 3-3 after three.
The Neers started pulling away in the fourth on RBI’s from Winkle and Riddell. The nail in the coffin was a fifth inning two run homer by Kaylee Riddell over the left field fence that gave the home team ten runs and a 10-6 victory. Winkle and Riddell each logged three RBI’s on the night, while eighth grader Maci Muncie tallied four hits and scored three runs. Lauren Farmer and Emma Winkle combined for seven innings on the mound giving up nine hits and five earned runs.
On Thursday, the Neers traveled to one of the hardest venues to play in central Ky. The Garrard County Lady Lions always seem to sport a solid team and play particularly well at home in Lancaster. The Lady Neers got behind early in this one giving up four, one, and six runs respectively in the first three innings. Estill County also struggled at the plate amassing only three hits on the day, two of which came from starting pitcher Emma Winkle. Garrard scattered 15 hits and tallied 11 earned runs as they mercy-ruled Estill County 11-0 in five innings. Garrard County moved to 7-2 on the season.
On Friday March 29th, the lady Engineers traveled to Lexington to face Tates Creek. Both teams relied on solid pitching and defense early on. Estill scored one in the top half of the 1st on an RBI from picture Emma Winkle. Later in the top of the 5th, senior Amelia Farmer knocked in a run tying the game at two, but the Commodores rebutted quickly, relying on their high-powered offense in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two and then scoring six more in the bottom of the 6th inning. Both Plotts and Yates went hard for the Commodores proving the Creek does rise as the big city school overwhelmed the 14th region 10-2 in the final.
On Saturday, the Lady Engineers finally got back in their home territory as they traveled to Jackson to face 14th region foe Breathitt County. Estill jumped on the board early when they scored five in the top of the first, two of which came off a double from Lauren Farmer who had quite a day. She tallied four hits in four at bats scoring two runs and also driving in an incredible six RBI’s. Breathitt County responded with three runs in the bottom of the 2nd but from there it was all Engineers.
Estill notched three more in the 6th inning on singles by Peyton Maybrier and Lauren Farmer and a double by Emma “honey badger” Winkle. Lauren Farmer was credited with the victory as she went four innings allowing five runs on eight hits and striking out three. Emma Winkle worked three innings for the save. Estill County amassed 19 hits on the day scoring 15 runs but only eight were earned.
The Engineers remain undefeated against 14th region competition on the year and continue their dominance of the 14th region competition. Since joining the region in the 2006 season, Estill County has a record of 157-5 vs. 14th region competition and an astounding 106-1 record versus 56th district teams.