Warriorettes Roll Past Prescott in District Opener

The White County Middle School softball team opened district tournament play with a complete, all-around effort Monday, rolling past Prescott 7-1 in the first round.

The Warriorettes leaned on timely hitting, clean defense, and a steady presence in the circle, finishing with nine hits while holding Prescott to just one.

Paizlee Taylor set the tone early. The right-hander retired the side in order to open the game, and White County’s offense rewarded her with a quick breakthrough in the bottom half.

Bianca Villano drew a leadoff walk but was erased on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Addison Finley. Finley moved into scoring position moments later when Taylor dropped a fly-ball single into right. Courtesy runner Leia Gramme advanced to third on a Prescott miscue, and Kinsley Randall brought her home with a ground ball to give White County a 1-0 lead.

Taylor continued to control the pace in the second, working a three-up, three-down inning that included two strikeouts and an infield pop-up. The Warriorettes added to the lead in the bottom half when Villano reached again — this time with two outs — and moved to second on a passed ball. Finley followed with a single to push the advantage to 2-0.

Prescott threatened briefly in the third after a two-out error put a runner on base, and a wild pitch moved her into scoring position. Taylor responded with a strikeout to end the inning and keep the shutout intact.

White County broke the game open in the bottom of the third. Bella Rosell-Diaz reached on an error to start the inning, and back-to-back hit-by-pitches to Randall and Josslyn Wright loaded the bases. Carli Goines delivered the big swing, lining a single into center field to drive in two runs. Dreu Segraves followed with an RBI single, and Villano capped the surge with a double before Finley added another run-scoring hit to stretch the lead to 7-0.

Prescott’s lone run came in the fourth. After a hit batter and a two-out double, the visitors got on the board, but Taylor limited the damage and stranded the remaining runner.

Neither team was able to add on over the final innings.

Taylor went the distance in the circle, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out six. She faced 20 batters and threw 82 pitches, 51 for strikes, in a controlled and efficient outing.

With the win, the Warriorettes remain in the winner’s bracket of the Region 4 District AA Tournament and will return home to face Warren County Tuesday at 5pm.

WHITE COUNTY BOX SCORE: 

HITS: Addison Finley 2, Carli Goines 2, Bianca Villano 1, Paizlee Taylor 1, Kinsley Randall 1, Josslyn Wright 1, Dreu Segraves 1 
RUNS: Bianca Villano 2, Bella Rosell-Diaz 1, Kinsley Randall 1, Josslyn Wright 1, Carli Goines 1 
RBI: Addison Finley 2, Carli Goines 2, Bianca Villano 1, Kinsley Randall 1, Dreu Segraves 1 
2B: Bianca Villano 
TB: Addison Finley 2, Bianca Villano 2, Carli Goines 2, Dreu Segraves 1, Josslyn Wright 1, Kinsley Randall 1, Paizlee Taylor 1 
HBP: Josslyn Wright 2, Kinsley Randall, Paizlee Taylor 
SB: Addison Finley, Carli Goines, Dreu Segraves, Kinsley Randall 

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