BY PAUL LUNSFORD

Contributing writer

The Lady Mountain Lions of Pineville opened the 13th Region All “A” Classic on Tuesday and posted a 5-3 victory over visiting Middlesboro.

Freshman Rachel Howard recorded 13 strikeouts for Pineville. She walked one and surrendered eight hits.

Rayanna Maidon, an eighth-grader, paced the Lady Lions with two doubles. Soohomore Baileigh Bargo-Vaughn doubled and singled.

Junior Mckenna Partin added two singles. Howard and sophomore Addison Slone each singled once for Pineville.

According to the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) website, coming into the game, the Lady Jackets were 25-0 against the Lady Lions since the 2002 season.

No statistics were available for Middlesboro.

Pineville (3-3) played Barbourville in the semifinals on Thursday. The finals were slated for Friday.

Harlan played Lynn Camp in the other semifinal game.

The Lady Lions will host Lynn Camp on Tuesday.

Middlesboro (8-7) travels to Lee (Va.) on Monday and Clay County on Tuesday.

Bell drops 4 straight

Since losing to Harlan in it’s district opener on March 28, Bell County has lost four consecutive games.

Coach David Teague’s squad dropped a 20-2 decision to host Whitley County on Wednesday.

The Lady Cats dropped back-to-back losses to Clay County.

Bell High lost 4-2 to the Lady Tigers in the Kentucky 2A Sectional on March 30.

Clay rolled to a 14-1 win on April 3 in Manchester.

Bell County (4-4) traveled to Harlan County on Thursday and hosted Williamsburg on Friday.

The Lady Cats will host McCreary Central on Monday and visits Barbourville on Tuesday.