Lady Falcons walk off against Starmount, Lady Rams take the rematch

EAST BEND — Forbush’s softball team broke into the win column for the first this spring on Friday night.

The Lady Falcons did so in walk-off fashion with a 4-3 victory in extra innings against Starmount when Tatum Finney, who reached base with a two-out single, scored in the bottom of the ninth after sister Arden Finney reached on a error.

The two teams squared off again on Monday night in Boonville, and the Lady Rams returned the favor with a 9-8 win in eight innings.

Starmount jumped out to the 1-0 lead after Mackenzie Cox scored when Payton Howell reached on an error in the top of the first.

The Lady Falcons (1-3) responded in the bottom of the second when Arden Finney, who led off the inning with a single, scored during Jane Helton’s at-bat to tie the game.

With a runner — Reagan Jester — still in scoring the position, Kiki Wall drew a two-out walk but Starmount pitcher Molly Swaim prevented further damage as she induced a fielder’s choice from Ellie Southern.

The score remained the same for the next two innings, despite both teams having chances.

The Lady Rams (3-3) put two in scoring in position after Rachel Bates (reached on error) and Cox (single) advanced to second and third base, respectively, on a sacrifice bunt from Swaim.

But Southern induced a pair of flyouts to keep the game tied.

Forbush had a runner in scoring position after Jester and Aria Wilson drew a pair of walks, but Swaim retired the next three in order.

The Lady Falcons had something cooking in the bottom of the fifth after Abby Sorrell (walk) and Elizabeth Holbrook (hit by pitch) reached base. Sorrell advanced to third and Holbrook moved into scoring position on Tatum Finney’s fielder’s choice.

Arden Finney, who went 2-for-5 at the plate, delivered a two-run double to give Forbush a 3-1 lead after five innings.

Starmount responded in the top of the sixth behind an RBI single from Kelsey Dowell and Baylee Childress scoring on a passed ball.

Dowell, who represented the potential go-ahead run, took third on the play but was stranded there as Southern struck out Emma Frenette to end the inning.

Southern allowed just one earned run on four hits and struck out four in six innings of work but did not factor into the decision.

Arden Finney earned the win as tossed three scoreless innings in relief.

Following a 1-2-3 seventh inning, the Lady Rams put the senior back on her heels in the eighth after a single from Howell, who advanced to second on a Childress sacrifice bunt.

Starmount would load the bases with a Carley Money walk and a single from Dowell, who finished 2-for-4 at the plate.

Finney would get out of the jam as she got Madelyn Brown to pop up back to her. Finney then threw over to Holbrook at third base to double off Howell.

In addition to Arden Finney and Tatum Finney, Kiki Wall also had a hit for the Lady Falcons, who opened up Foothills 2A Conference play on Tuesday at Surry Central. Forbush then traveled to East Wilkes on Wednesday.

Starmount, which hosted Reagan on Wednesday and then North Stokes on Friday, also received a three-hit performance from Cox.

Monday’s game

The Lady Rams earned the season split, thanks to late-inning rally.

Down 7-4 going into its final at-bat, Baylee Childress cut the deficit to a run with a two-run single and Carley Money tied the game with an RBI single.

Forbush took an 8-7 lead in the top of the eighth as Arden Finney scored when Reece Ruckman reached on an error.

Molly Swaim, who went 3-for-5 at the plate, tied the game with an RBI single and Mackenzie Cox ended the game when she scored after Payton Howell reached on an error.

The two clubs combined for 25 hits with Forbush, which was led by Arden Finney’s 4-for-5 performance, outhit the Lady Rams, 14-11.

In addition to Finney, Tatum Finney (two doubles) and Ellie Southern (two triples) finished with three hits apiece and Elizabeth Holbrook had two hits.

Baylee Childress picked up the win in relief. The junior did not allow an earned run (two total) in five innings of work.

Rachel Bates weren’t 4-for-5 to pace Starmount at the plate while Payton Howell (double) drove in a quartet of runs while Childress and Swaim each drove in a pair of runs.