By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
A fast start led to a disappointing finish for the North Pulaski Lady Falcons on Thursday.
The Hall Lady Warriors overtook the Lady Falcons in the top of the fourth inning and added three insurance runs in the fifth to win 7-3 at Field 6 in Dupree Park in a non-conference make-up game from Wednesday’s rainout.
The Lady Falcons (1-1) took a 3-2 lead after the first, but got only one hit from the second inning until the bottom of the seventh, when they put two runners on with two outs before freshman centerfielder Kelsey Seats flew out to second base.
“Our main thing is, we hit the first inning and just quit hitting,” North Pulaski coach Ann Tharp said. “That’s what we’re disappointed in. They made some good defensive plays. When we hit the ball, we hit it right at them, and they made good plays.
“We just have to hit the ball consistently.”
Hall’s rally in the top of the fourth started when Myra Hayes reached on an error at shortstop by sophomore Shayla Evans. Kendra Austin grounded to Shelby Floyd at third to force Hayes for the first out.
Second baseman Brianna Escovedo then committed a throwing error to first on a grounder by Djemile McJankins that allowed Austin to reach third. Leadoff batter Kamicha Curtis drove in both runners with a double to left-center to give the Lady Warriors a 4-3 lead.
Bains had mixed results pitching for North Pulaski. She struck out nine but gave up nine hits, the most damaging of which were the back-to-back doubles in the fifth inning. Defensively, the Lady Falcons committed six errors.
Hall pitcher Jalisa Larry earned the victory with five hits allowed and five strikeouts.
Both pitchers picked up steam after shaky performances in the first inning. Bains needed just 10 pitches to retire the side against Hall in the top of the second as she got three strikeouts, and she struck out two more batters in the next inning.
North Pulaski answered Hall’s two-run first when leadoff hitter Floyd doubled to left and scored when Seats hit to shortstop and Austin made a throwing error to first. Heather Fleshman tied the game with a double against the left field wall that scored Seats, and Fleshman scored on a fielder’s choice to shortstop by Kelsey Whitmore to put the Lady Falcons up 3-2.
Sophomore Anna Langrell grounded out to first and Escovedo flew out on a foul ball to give the Lady Falcons two quick outs in the bottom of the seventh. But Evans gave the Lady Falcons hope from the bottom of the order with a single to center, the team’s first since Seats’ single to left in the second.
Evans advanced on a bloop single by Floyd in shallow, but Seats flew out to second to end it.
Floyd was 2 for 4 with a double and a run.
North Pulaski will begin 5A-Southeast Conference play Tuesday at Crossett.
