BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Keystone Heights High School batters struck out 11 times and managed just one hit off Episcopal pitcher Grace Jones in a 10-0, six-inning loss in a Region 1-3A softball quarterfinal game on May 8 in Jacksonville.
Starting pitcher Caitlin Frampton gave up just one hit through the first four innings, but the Indians trailed 3-0, with the second seed Eagles taking advantage of three errors.
Frampton, who threw 4.1 innings, allowed three earned runs (six total), four hits and one walk, while striking out six.
Episcopal’s Claire Cinnamond led off the bottom of the second with a walk and stole second before Riley Applebee reached on an error. Amelia Oreair hit a sacrifice fly to score Cinnamond. Frances Thoburn then reached on an error, which allowed Applebee to score and put the Eagles up 2-0.
The Eagles (24-3) had no one on with two outs in the third when Riley Valent hit an infield single. Valent advanced to third on two wild pitches before scoring when the Indians committed an error on a ground ball hit by Cinnamond.
Keystone (12-13), the region’s seventh seed, got its first and only hit of the game when Amber Wagner led off the top of the fourth with a single. After a fly out, Abbie Roach ground into a fielder’s choice, which resulted in Wagner being put out at second. A strikeout ended the inning.
Delia Johnson drew a one-out walk for the Indians in the fifth. Bella Cumbo then hit into a fielder’s choice, with Johnson being put out at second. As in the fourth, the inning ended on a strikeout.
Episcopal got three consecutive singles from Jones, Emily Davidson and Valent in scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth. A two-out single from Oreair later in the inning plated another two runs, putting the Eagles up 7-0.
The Eagles ended the game with three runs in the sixth, getting an RBI double from Davidson and RBI singles from Jones and Applebee.
