The Alba-Golden Lady Panthers fell in a close game to the visiting Edgewood Lady Bulldogs on Friday, March 22 by a score of 3-1. The sides contributed to seven innings of top quality play on a perfect spring evening for softball.

Lead-off hitter Ashlyn Rogers put the ball through the left side of the infield to start the night for Alba-Golden. She stole second and third base before coming home to score on a fielder’s choice. Braylee Littlejohn collected the RBI. With two outs, Kalli Wright drew a walk but could not score on Kylie Kennedy’s hard-hit liner to the gap in right center. Kennedy crushed the ball, and it was in the outfield in an instant, preventing the jump needed for Wright to score. The runners were stranded.

The next four innings were a pitchers’ duel between Alba-Golden’s Littlejohn and Edgewood’s Riley Price. Both hurlers had good pace, control and ball movement all night. Littlejohn gave up six hits and recorded nine strike outs, while Price was tagged for five hits and threw 15 strike outs.

Alba-Golden had a runner on base in the third and fourth innings but could not generate a rally. After five full innings it was beginning to look like that fielder’s choice, which resulted in the Lady Panthers first inning score, might be the difference in the game.

Edgewood’s top of the order came up in the sixth with intent. Lady Bulldog Danielle Barton ripped a double to left field. She stole third and came home with the tying run on an infield base hit. The next hitter flew out, but Edgewood’s Kayla Shipp collected a base on balls and advanced on an infield error. With two outs, Emma Kimbrough drove the second and third runs in with a clean single to center field.

The Lady Panthers reached in the sixth on an error. Littlejohn stole second but was left on base as Price dispatched the middle of the Lady Panther order.

Alba-Golden’s Lauren Crump opened the bottom of the seventh by launching the first pitch into left field for a single. Price buckled down and struck out the next two hitters. Rogers calmly stepped to the plate and slapped the ball through the left side of the infield to keep the home teams’ hopes alive. The rally fell short as both Rogers and Crump were stranded at the final out.

The Edgewood varsity softball team will provide excellent competition for the next few years, as they start four freshmen in the lineup. Pitcher Price is a sophomore.