The Alba-Golden Lady Panthers continue to roll along. They defeated the Hawkins Lady Hawks 10-1 last Friday behind another stellar performance by hurler Adie Smith and a dugout which produced 15 base hits. 

Smith is an imposing pitcher. Visually she looks as though she is attacking the batter’s box. It can be intimidating. What makes her so effective is the combination of a quick and strong delivery coupled with a variety of high-velocity pitches. 

Last Friday, she was on or near the plate on most of her pitches. Smith gave up four hits, struck out 12 and issued one walk.

Alba-Golden gave up that initial run to Hawkins in the first. An error on a bunt put a Lady Hawk on base. She was driven home by a clean double to center field. 

The bottom of the first provided a play that taught a lot about softball. Joecey Lewers reached on a first-pitch single to left field. Smith then lined a shot to right field. 

The Hawkins fielder closed the liner hard, but dropped the catch on the run. She sprang up from the ground, found the ball, and fired a throw to the plate which caught Lewers trying to score. The fielder, Hawkins’ CeeJai Gipson never hesitated. After dropping the catch, she responded as quickly as she could with the next action to make a play. It was an instructive moment.

It was also the high point of the game for the Lady Hawks.

The Lady Panthers put five runs up in the second, added one run in the third, two in the fourth and two in the fifth. 

The top of the order for Alba-Golden (Jayla Sitar, Averi Stevenson, Lewers, and Smith) combined for 11 of Alba-Golden’s 15 hits. They make a formidable top of the order for any opposing pitcher. 

Piper Hallman, Rylee Hass and Abby Thompson also contributed base hits. Thompson continued her great season at the plate, going 2 for 4. 

The game at the plate, however, belonged to Lewers, who went 4 for 4 – sending a triple and a single to left field, and a double and a single up the middle.

Stevenson had an excellent game behind home plate. In addition to the work of catching Smith, Stevenson gunned down a runner stealing second base in the second inning, and made a nice play in the fourth fielding a pop-up behind the plate.

The game ended when Sadie Wright snagged a line drive at second base, and was able to double-off the baserunner at first. 

The next opportunity to see the Lady Panthers in action is Friday, when they host Martin’s Mill. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.