BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Courtney Manning, Mackenzie Orton and Campbell Webb each drove in four runs to help the Union County High School softball team go 2-1 at the March 7-8 Santa Fe Raider Invitational.
Orton, Webb and Brooke Hunt each had a homer for the Tigers, who scored 22 runs in two games after a 6-1 loss to Columbia to open play in the tournament.
The Tigers’ lone run in the loss occurred when Leanne Dicks hit a two-out single to score Webb, who reached on a double.
Dicks went 2 for 3, while Emma Handley was 2 for 4.
Union bounced back with a 13-6, four-inning win against Bronson in which Manning and Orton each drove in three runs.
A three-run second put the Tigers ahead 4-0. Mia Kent and Handley both singled, with an error scoring a run. Orton then drove a 1-0 pitch over the fence in center for a two-run homer.
The Tigers pushed six runs across in the third to go up 10-2. Webb walked before Hunt hit a home run, sending an 0-1 pitch over the fence in left. Dicks and Kent both singled, while Handley walked, loading the bases. Orton drove in a run with a single, followed by Manning getting hit by a pitch to force a run in. Handley scored on a passed ball before Webb drive in a run on a ground out.
Manning, who hit a two-run single in a three-run fourth, finished 3 for 3, while Orton was 2 for 3. Kent went 2 for 2.
Handley pitched a complete game, allowing nine hits and striking out three.
Webb hit a three-run homer as part of the Tigers’ 9-2, four-inning win over Chiefland on March 8.
Union scored four runs in the first. After Handley walked and Orton singled, Manning hit an RBI double. Webb followed with her home run, driving an 0-1 pitch over the fence in center.
The Tigers scored five runs in the fourth. Orton, who went 2 for 3, tripled with two outs and no one on. After Manning was hit by a pitch, Orton scored on a wild pitch. Shyla Crowe walked, while Webb was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hunt then hit a two-run double, followed by Dicks hitting a two-run single.
Starting pitcher Handley gave up two runs (one earned) and two hits through three innings. She had three strikeouts.
Dicks pitched the final inning, allowing no hits and striking out two.
For the tournament, Manning went 5 for 9, while Dicks and Orton were 4 for 8 and 4 for 10, respectively.
The Tigers (6-4) entered the tournament off a 19-1, four-inning win over host North Marion on March 4.
Union scored five runs in the first, with Manning hitting an RBI single and Hunt driving in another two runs on a single. An error on a ball put into play by Dicks allowed her and courtesy runner Jailyn Simmons to score.
Orton hit a solo home run to lead off a four-run second, which also included an RBI double by Crowe and a two-run triple by Dicks.
Dicks and Handley each drove in a run as part of a five-run third, while a five-run fourth included RBI doubles from Crowe and Orton.
Crwoe and Manning went 3 for 3 and 3 for 4, respectively, with Crowe hitting two doubles and driving in two runs. Manning, who hit one double, had two RBI as well.
Dicks and Handley each went 2 for 3, with Dicks hitting a triple and driving in four runs and Handley hitting a double and driving in one run.
Orton went 2 for 4 with a double, the home run and two RBI.
Hunt and Webb each finished with two RBI, while Kent and Kinzley Scott each had one.
Handley pitched a complete game, giving up three hits and striking out eight.
The Tigers host North Marion on Tuesday, March 11, at 7 p.m. and will host P.K. Yonge on Thursday, March 13, at 6 p.m. Union travels to play Bradford on Friday, March 14, at 6:30 p.m. before hosting Branford on Monday, March 17, at 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, March 18, the Tigers host Dixie County at 6 p.m.
