LAURINBURG — Lady Scots senior Mason Roberts didn’t look convinced when the ball left her bat that it was a grand slam. It wasn’t until it cleared the fence and landed in the grass behind left-center field that she started to celebrate.

The long ball was Roberts third of the season and gave the Lady Scots the boost they need to defeat Pinecrest, 6-1 and pick up their third conference win.

Until Roberts heroics in the bottom of the fifth inning, the SAC-8 rivals were deadlocked 1-1. A fielding error in the first by the Lady Scots gave Pinecrest a 1-0 lead.

The Lady Patriots Katelyn Chisholm walked to start the game before Hannah Spinali hit into a fielder’s choice to advance Chisholm to second. Pinecrest’s Hailey Sales walked before L’asia Jackson hit a pop out to left field that advanced the runners.

Chisholm then got caught in a rundown and on the throw back to third from catcher Jenna Byrd stole home to give the Lady Patriots the lead. Lady Scots pitcher Bree Steele caught Sales trying to steal third to end the inning.

The Lady Scots tied the game in the bottom of the third on a stand-up double from senior Katie Lighthall that scored fellow senior Macie Gibson, who reached after being hit by a pitch.

Knotted at 1-1, Steele went to work in the circle with a three up, three down fourth inning. The Lady Scots defense got it done the following inning with a double play on a ground ball by Pinecrest’s Samantha Thompson. Second baseman Madison Williams flipped the ball to Lighthall at second to get the force out before throwing to Katie Smith at first for the inning-ending double play.

The Lady Scots followed that up with back-to-back singles from Lighthall and Smith. A dropped third strike allowed Steele to load the bases for Roberts grand slam. One swing of the bat and the Lady Scots had a 5-1 lead with no outs.

The bases reloaded as Byrd and Kassee Lowe walked and Kandon Luquer reached on an error. The Lady Scots added their sixth and final run off Pinecrest starter Gracie Hough before Spinali came on in relief.

Hough threw four innings allowing six runs off four hits with two errors and five walks. Spinali threw two innings allowing zero runs off one hit with one walk and a strikeout.

In the circle for the Lady Scots, Steele threw a complete game allowing one run off two hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.

The win moves the Lady Scots to .500 on the season at 6-6 and 3-6 in the Sandhills Athletic Conference while Pinecrest falls to 3-10 overall and 2-7 in conference play.

The Lady Scots now sit in sixth place, one game ahead of Pinecrest, with five conference games left to play. Richmond, the reigning conference champions, are poised for their sixth title with a 9-0 SAC-8 record. Lumberton sits miles behind in second place at 5-2 followed by Purnell Swett in third at 6-3.

Jack Britt is in fourth at 5-4 while Hoke County sits in fifth at 4-4. Seventy-First is still win less in eighth place at 0-8.

The Lady Scots traveled to Fayetteville on Wednesday for a non-conference game against Terry Sanford. The team will remain on the road Friday heading to Southern Pines for their second game with the Lady Patriots. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Amber Hatten-Staley can be reached at 910-506-3170 or [email protected].

Amber Hatten-Staley | Laurinburg Exchange Lady Scots senior Mason Roberts connected on a grand slam, her first of the season, to lift her team over Pinecrest on Tuesday, 6-1 in their first conference game after spring break. The home run was Roberts third of the year.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_IMG_0873.jpgAmber Hatten-Staley | Laurinburg Exchange Lady Scots senior Mason Roberts connected on a grand slam, her first of the season, to lift her team over Pinecrest on Tuesday, 6-1 in their first conference game after spring break. The home run was Roberts third of the year.
Pick up third SAC-8 win

By Amber Hatten-Staley

Sports editor