BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Courtney Manning drove in four runs, including a two-run double that proved to be the difference in the Lake Butler Middle School softball team’s 11-9 win over host Bradford on April 4.
It was the third win for the Tigers (7-5) in their last four games and just the second loss for the Tornadoes (3-2-1).
Manning made an impact early, hitting a two-run triple in the top of the first. An error on the play allowed her to score, putting the Tigers up 3-0.
Bradford tied it up in the bottom of the inning. Raelynn Alexander hit a leadoff single and advanced to second on an error. She went to third on a passed ball before a Regan Adams fly ball. Adams reached safely on an error. Autumn DeKorver and Tatum Burkhalter hit back-to-back singles with two outs, with Burkhalter’s hit scoring two runs.
Lake Butler pushed four runs across in the second. Ashlyn Ferris singled, followed by a Delaney Rhoden walk. Makayla Orton reached on an error to load the bases. Kailynn Gulbrand hit a single to score one run, while on error on the play allowed another to score. The Tigers loaded the bases again when Manning walked. Emily Hunt, who went 2 for 4, then hit a two-run double, while Jessa Dekle drove in another run on a ground out, giving Lake Butler an 8-3 lead.
The Tornadoes had a runner on with two outs in the bottom of the second when Kingslee Phillips hit an RBI single, making it a four-run game.
Bradford had two outs and no one on in the fifth when DeKorver reached on an error and scored on a Burkhalter single.
Lake Butler scored a run in the top of the sixth to make the score 9-5. Hunt reached on a dropped third strike. She was replaced by courtesy runner Alyssa Lee, who stole second and moved to third on Layla Crowe’s sacrifice bunt. Lee scored on a wild pitch with two outs.
The Tornadoes made it a two-run game in the bottom of the sixth. Iana Oliver and Alexander both hit singles. Phillips drove in one run on a ground out, while Adams hit a double to score another.
Orton and Gaulbrand both walked for the Tigers with two outs in the top of the seventh. Manning then hit her two-run double, wrapping up a 3-for-4 night and giving her team an 11-7 lead.
Bradford got RBI singles from Miranda Jameis and Alexander with two outs in the bottom of the seventh before the game ended on a ground out.
Burkhalter and Alexander finished 3 for 4 and 3 for 5, respectively, while DeKorver went 2 for 4.
It was the second straight win for Lake Butler, which entered the game off a 16-2 win over host Keystone Heights on April 2.
Manning, who went 2 for 3 with three RBI, drove in two runs on a single as part of a four-run second inning that put the Tigers up 6-1.
It was 7-1 when the Tigers exploded for nine runs in the sixth. Raelynn Alvarez hit a triple to lead off the inning and came up to bat a second time with the bases loaded. She hit another triple to finish 2 for 5 with three RBI.
The big inning also included an RBI single from Manning and an RBI double from Hunt, who was 3 for 4, with two doubles and three RBI.
Gulbrand and Ferris, who went 2 for 3, each had one RBI.
Starting pitcher Hunt gave up one hit and struck out six in five innings.
Ferris pitched one inning, allowing two hits.
Lake Butler and Bradford will play each other again on Thursday, April 18, at 6 p.m. at Lake Butler’s O.J. Phillips Recreation Complex. Prior to that, the Tigers host Trenton on Monday, April 8, at 6 p.m. at the O.J. Phillips Recreation Complex. Lake Butler travels play Lake City on Tuesday, April 9, at 4 p.m. and then travels to play Williston on Wednesday, April 10, at 6 p.m.
Bradford hosts Lake City on Monday, April 8, at 6 p.m. and then hosts Keystone Heights on Wednesday, April 10, at 5 p.m. The Tornadoes then travel to play Fort White on Friday, April 12, at 5 p.m.
