For a few innings, Middlesboro was able to hang with arguably the best team in the 13th Region when they hosted Clay County on Tuesday. After holding the Lady Tigers scoreless in the first, the Lady Jackets gave up three runs in the second and fourth en route to an 11-0 loss in five innings.

The defeat makes it two straight games where Middlesboro has failed to make it to the seventh inning. For Clay County, the dominate team continues its run of success extending their current winning streak to five games. They have won 22 games on the year.

Hannah McCullough was credited with the loss in the circle allowing all 11 runs on 12 hits.

The Lady Jackets were only able to tally four hits on the day. Sowders reached on a double in the second, Brooke Foister reached on a single in the second, Megan Gent reached on a single in the third and Virginia Marcum reached on a single in the fifth.

Emma Hurd earned the victory in the circle after throwing a three-hit shutout in five innings.

Shelby Phillips paced Clay County at the plate going 3-for-4 with one run. Hurd and Kimberlyn Mills each lead the team with two runs apiece. All but one player in the line-up scored a run for the Lady Tigers.

Ellie Finley struck first in the second to give Clay a 1-0 lead. An RBI by Hurd increased the lead to two runs before a two-run shot by Mills gave the Lady Tigers a 4-0 lead.

Middlesboro had a chance to score in the bottom half of the second. Aubrey Sowders got thing started with a lead-off double. Back-to-back outs put the Lady Jackets against the wall, but a single by Foister advanced Sowders to third.

Shelby Frazier was walked to load the bases, but Sowders was caught with too much of a lead off from third base and picked off to end the inning.

Clay County increased their lead to seven runs in the fourth. An RBI triple to left field by Phillips widened the margin to 5-0 before she eventually scored on a passed ball to balloon the lead to 6-0.

Maddie Frazier scored after reaching on a double to improve the Lady Tiger lead to 7-0 after four.

Clay County sealed the game in the fifth inning. RBIs from Hurd and Phillips increased the lead to 10-0. An RBI by Lauren Smith gave the Lady Tigers an 11-run lead. The Lady Jackets couldn’t score in the bottom half of the inning causing the game to end after five.

Up Next

Middlesboro (11-11) will travel to Bell County (10-14) at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Clay County (22-1) will host Harlan County (15-10) on Thursday.

Reach Anthony Cloud at 606-302-9090 or on Twitter @AnthonyCloudMDN