BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Union County High School’s softball team fell behind 7-1, but came back and earned a six-inning, 18-7, run-rule victory over visiting Dixie County on March 18.
Shyla Crowe, Leanne Dicks and Mia Kent each drove in a run as part of a three-run third that left the Tigers trailing 7-6.
Union (10-5) took the lead with a six-run fourth, getting a two-run single from Kent and RBI singles from Dicks, Jaydin Alvarez and Mackenzie Orton. Crowe also drew a bases-loaded walk.
The Tigers began the fifth with back-to-back doubles from Orton and Courtney Manning, with Orton scoring on Manning’s hit. Manning eventually scored on a wild pitch before Dicks hit a two-run single, putting Union ahead 16-7.
Alvarez and Emma Handley both walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Orton brought both runners home on a walk-off double to end the game.
Dicks went 3 for 4 with four RBI, while Orton was 3 for 5 with three RBI.
Kent, who went 2 for 4, also had three RBI.
Alvarez finished 2 for 4 with two RBI, while Manning went 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Handley and Brooke Hunt went 2 for 3 and 2 for 2, respectively.
Crowe pitched a complete game, giving up four earned runs and six hits, while striking out four.
The Tigers entered the game off a 13-3 loss to visiting Branford on March 17.
Handley and Manning went 4 for 4 and 2 for 3, respectively, but the rest of the team went a combined 2 for 20 against the third-ranked team in Class 1A.
Union trailed 10-0 before Manning hit a solo homer in the fourth.
Manning and Crowe each finished with one RBI.
The Tigers return to action on Tuesday, April 1, when the travel to play P.K. Yonge at 7 p.m.
