SOFTBALL
Triad 12, Elgin 11
Triad pulled off a stunning comeback, erasing an early eight-run deficit to walk off Elgin 12-11 in a wild finish.
Elgin came out swinging, exploding for eight runs in the first inning behind a three-run homer, multiple RBI singles, and a Triad error to take an 8-0 lead.
The Lady Cardinals didn’t panic.
They chipped away right away in the bottom of the first. Addisyn Matthews and Emma Martin reached to start the inning, and a mix of aggressive baserunning, errors, and a Gracie Goehring RBI single cut the deficit to 8-3.
Triad kept grinding. Goehring added another RBI in the third, and in the fourth, Riley Haser reached on an error, Martin tripled to center, and later scored on a wild pitch to pull the Cardinals within one at 8-7.
Elgin briefly regained control with a three-run homer in the fifth, but Triad answered again. A wild pitch and an RBI groundout from Matthews made it 11-9 heading into the final innings.
Then came the seventh.
Savannah Thomas and Haillei Jenkins drew walks to start the inning, moved up on a wild pitch, and Matthews delivered with a game-tying two-RBI single. After a fielder’s choice, Martin stepped in and lined a walk-off single to right, completing the comeback.
Matthews led Triad with three RBIs, while Martin and Goehring each drove in two. Martin and Kaitlynn Herron both recorded multi-hit games.
Triad improves to 3-10 and will face Madison Plains on Friday.
Covington 26, Riverside 7 (5 innings)
Riverside struggled defensively on the road, committing 10 errors in a 26-7 loss to Covington.
The Buccaneers took control immediately, scoring 12 runs in the first inning behind a barrage of hits and Pirate miscues. Covington added six more in the second, three in the third, and four in the fifth to seal the run-rule win.
Riverside’s offense showed life in the fourth inning, scoring all seven of its runs. Zoey Ransbottom and Molly Carman got things started, Emma Pope added a sac fly, and a series of errors helped bring more runs home.
Kara Klingler added an RBI single, and Chloe Purtee highlighted the inning with a two-run homer to left.
Purtee’s homer led the offense, while Carman recorded the lone multi-hit game as six Pirates tallied hits.
Riverside falls to 8-9 and will face Benjamin Logan in a Saturday doubleheader.
BASEBALL
Covington 10, Riverside 3
Riverside also struggled on the baseball side, committing eight errors in a 10-3 loss to Covington.
The Pirates had an early chance in the second with two runners on, but couldn’t capitalize. Covington answered with two runs in the inning, taking advantage of defensive miscues.
Riverside briefly tied the game in the third. With the bases loaded, Tony Robinson was hit by a pitch to force in a run, and Syler Clark scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-2.
The Buccaneers responded immediately with a triple and a single to retake the lead, then steadily pulled away by scoring two runs in each of the remaining innings—many coming off Pirate errors.
Riverside added one more in the seventh when Brody Orsborne tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Cooper Crouch, but couldn’t mount a comeback.
Orsborne led the Pirates with a two-hit game, while Robinson and Crouch recorded RBIs.
Riverside falls to 9-3 and will face Fairlawn on Friday.
