SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. - The Mount Vernon varsity softball team overcame an early seven-run deficit to take a brief lead before falling 12-10 to the Trinity Christian Lions (4-4, 2-0 Reg. 5-A) on Thursday afternoon at the Glenn Campus Softball Field.
The Mustangs fell into an early hole, staking the Lions to a five-run first inning.
Jorden Boyd scored the first run of the contest on a wild pitch followed by a Kendall Wells ground-out to short that plated Mattie McCracken for a 2-0 lead.
Later in the inning, Brianna Boyd singled home Claire Carson to give the Lions a 3-0 advantage.
Laney Armistead followed with two-run double to give the Lions the early edge.
Mount Vernon responded with one run in the bottom of the first inning.
After a Savannah Messner triple, Kendall Slayden reached on a throwing error by the Lion infield to bring home Messner for a 5-1 contest.
The Lions pounced back with two runs in the top of the second, the first coming on an Ambry Lucas double that scored McCracken.
Wells then reached on a Mustang error in the outfield to bring in Lucas for a 7-1 lead.
Seemingly in control, the Lions added another run in the top of the third inning on a Gracie Taylor ground-out to third to plate Armistead to make it an 8-1 contest.
The Mustangs charged back in the bottom of the third, scoring seven runs to even the match at 8-8.
Carson Watson coaxed a bases loaded walk to bring in Bella Dishman.
Lauren Waters followed with a double to left field to plate MC Springer and Sarah Schab to cut the Lion lead in half at 8-4.
Gracie Hudgins singled to right field to plate Waters followed by another Messner triple to left field to bring home Hudgins and Karley Crim for an 8-7 Trinity Christian lead.
The final run of the inning to tie the game at 8-8 came via a Dishman double down the left field line off the chalk that scored Messner.
Mount Vernon took its first lead of the contest in the bottom of the fourth when Watson smoked a line drive that hit off the right fielder's glove and rolled to the fence to plate Springer. Watson was able to come all the way around to score as well to give the Mustangs a 10-8 advantage.
Those would be the final runs for the Mustangs as the Lions scored four unanswered to take the lead and the game outright.
The Lions made it a 10-9 game in the top of the fifth inning on an Armistead sacrifice-fly to center field to score Boyd.
Trinity Christian tied the game and took the lead for good in the top of the sixth inning.
McCracken tripled to plate Boyd for a 10-10 contest followed by a Lucas ground-out to third to score McCracken for an 11-10 Lion lead.
Trinity Christian padded its lead to 12-10 in the top of the seventh inning when Carson advanced to third on a throwing error by the Mustang infield and later came in to score on a passed ball.
Boyd picked up the win in the circle for the Lions tossing 4.1 innings, allowing three runs with two walks and three strikeouts.
Slayden was tabbed with the loss for the Mustangs. The righty finished with six strikeouts while surrendering just two free passes.
The Mustangs (1-5, 0-2 Reg. 5-A) are back in action on Monday, August 27, hosting the 5A Riverwood Raiders (2-2).
First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Glenn Campus Softball Field.
The Mount Vernon Athletic Department strives to build the student-athlete by providing a five-star experience built on community, relentlessness, innovation, hospitality and professionalism. As a school of inquiry, innovation and impact grounded in Christian values, we prepare all students to be college-ready, globally competitive, and engaged citizen leaders. For more information on Mount Vernon athletics, visit www.mountvernonathletics.com and follow @MV_Athletics on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news on the Mustangs.
BOX SCORE:
TRINITY CHRISTIAN 12, MOUNT VERNON 10
TC 521-012-1 -- 12-12-4
MV 107-200-0 -- 10-10-6
WP: Brianna Boyd. LP: Kendall Slayden.
2B: TC - Laney Armistead, Mattie McCracken, Ambry Lucas, Brianna Boyd; MV - Lauren Waters.
3B: TC - McCracken; MV - Savannah Messner 2.
Records: Trinity Christian 4-4, 2-0 Reg. 5-A; Mount Vernon 1-5, 0-2 Reg. 5-A.
Next: Riverwood at Mount Vernon, 5 p.m., Monday.
