The Middlesboro softball and baseball teams took to Myrtle Beach, S.C. this week on spring break to participate in the Cal Ripken Experience, which includes teams from Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The Middlesboro Lady Jackets took on the Woodford County Lady Jackets in their first match-up of the week. It was a tough way to start spring break with Middlesboro falling 10-0 to their first opponent.

Woodford County maintained complete control against the Lady Jackets. After starting the game with two runs in the first inning, Woodford County added five more runs in the second to take a commanding 7-0 lead.

Both offenses stalled in the third and fourth innings with neither team accumulating a run before Woodford added another run in the fifth, bringing the score to 8-0. Woodford added two more runs in the sixth inning for extra measure, securing a 10-0 victory over Middlesboro.

Woodford County had 13 hits on 31 at-bats and accumulated 10 runs. Middlesboro managed one hit on a single from freshman Jamarah Young, in 19 at-bats, 12 strikeouts with zero runs.

The Lady Jackets took on Maumee, Ohio in their second match-up of the trip, their first of a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader.

Things looked promising for Middlesboro as they quickly jumped out to a 3-1 lead over the Lady Panthers in the first inning, thanks to runs by McCullough, Sowders and Young. McCullough would again round home in the second inning, bolstering the Lady Jacket lead to 4-1.

The Lady Panthers added two runs in the fifth inning to close the gap. Middlesboro’s Frazier rounded home in the fifth, bringing the score to 5-3 in favor of the Lady Jackets. However, after leading the entire game and a scoreless sixth inning for both teams, the Lady Panther offense poured it on in the final inning driving in four runs to defeat the Lady Jackets 7-5 in seven innings.

The Lady Jackets amassed five runs on five hits, led by Virginia Marcum with two hits and one RBI. McCullough had a triple, two runs and was walked once. Sowders had a double and added a run. JJ Brown added one hit.

Middlesboro played an extremely competitive game in the second game of their Tuesday afternoon doubleheader against the Pleasure Ridge Park Lady Panthers.

The Lady Panthers struck first in the opening inning to bring the score to 1-0. The score remained 1-0 until Sowders rounded home in the third inning, tying the score at one each. The Lady Panthers jumped out to a 5-1 lead by the middle of the fourth before Middlesboro added two runs, one from Marcum and one from Mink, to bring the score to 5-3 in favor of the Lady Panthers.

Pleasure Ridge drove in one run in the top of the fifth to widen their lead to 6-3. The Lady Jackets were held scoreless in the inning. The Lady Panthers increased their lead to 9-3 in the top of the sixth inning behind three runs before Mink rounded the plate in the bottom of the inning, bringing the score to 9-4.

The Lady Jackets quickly shut down the Lady Panther’s offense in the top of the seventh, retiring three straight batters. Middlesboro added four runs in the final inning from Frazier, Mink, Marcum and Young but needed five to send it to extras, dropping the second game of their doubleheader, 9-8.