Softball: Lady Hornets sweep Marshall in convincing fashion

MARSHALL - The Fulton Lady Hornets softball team was a menace to the Marshall Lady Owls in dominating a North Central Missouri Conference doubleheader.

Junior starter Taylor Kettle tossed a four-hitter and also homered as Fulton blasted Marshall 13-3 in six innings in the opener Thursday. Sophomore starter Sydney Hedgpath then scattered five hits as the Lady Hornets demolished the Lady Owls 15-1 in four innings in the second game.

Fulton - which combined for 28 hits in the sweep - moved to 10-1 on the season and 5-1 in the NCMC.

The Lady Hornets got off to a strong start in the first game, tallying three runs in the top of the first inning. Sophomore right fielder Kayla Neal led off with a single to center, stole second and advanced to third on Kettle's double to left.

Sophomore catcher Paige Clines followed with a single to center, scoring both Neal and freshman courtesy runner Emily Clark, who entered the game for Kettle. Clines then moved to third on an error and was replaced by freshman courtesy runner Elexis Clark, who made it 3-0 when she scored on freshman third baseman Alex Trowbridge's groundout.

Fulton added to its lead with two runs in the fourth. Hedgpath - playing first base - launched a two-out, solo home run to center and freshman left fielder Kyela Macon delivered an RBI double to left.

The Lady Hornets then went up 6-0 on Kettle's one-out, solo homer to center in the fifth. Marshall, though, disrupted both Kettle's no-hitter and shutout bid when it rallied for three runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning to cut its deficit in half.

Just as swiftly, Fulton snuffed out the Lady Owls' comeback when it erupted for seven runs in the sixth to end the game on the mercy rule. Sophomore second baseman Payton Mosley's two-out, two-run double extended the Lady Hornets' lead to 8-3 and Kettle followed with an RBI double to left.

Emily Clark raced home later on a passed ball and Alex Trowbridge's RBI single to center made it 11-3. Senior shortstop Haden Trowbridge and senior center fielder Grace Sparks then capped off Fulton's scoring with a pair of RBI singles.

Kettle went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored as the Lady Hornets broke out for 14 hits. Sparks was also 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and scored a run, while Clines finished 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Mosley and Alex Trowbridge were both 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Kettle threw a complete game to raise her season record to 4-1, allowing three earned runs while issuing one walk.

Fulton - acting as the home team in the second game - jumped on top with three runs in the bottom of the first. Kettle - playing third base - drilled a solo homer to left with one out and Alex Trowbridge and Haden Trowbridge contributed RBI singles.

After Marshall tallied a run in the top of the third, the Lady Hornets piled on six runs in their half of the inning. Clines - serving as designated player - stole home and Haden Trowbridge followed with an RBI groundout to give Fulton a 5-1 edge.

Sophomore first baseman Hayden Echelmeier and Neal came through with back-to-back RBI singles and the Lady Hornets scored their final run in the inning on an error to open up a 9-1 advantage.

Fulton then stacked on six more runs in the fourth to stop the game on the mercy rule.

Kettle finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored as the Lady Hornets matched their output from the opener in accumulating 14 hits. Neal was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and scored twice, while Alex Trowbridge also went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Haden Trowbridge was 1-for-3 with two RBI and scored once, while Clines finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Hedgpath went the distance to stay unbeaten at 4-0. She gave up an earned run, struck out five and walked one.

Fulton plays in the AA Bash at Russellville on Saturday.