Staff Report

The Pineville Mountain Lions went 1-1 in their opening week.

PHS also debuted new head coach Shawnta Zachery.  Zachery was a three-sport standout at Bell County and played football collegiately at Pikeville. Zachery takes the reins of the program from Jeff Sziksai, the new coach at Bell County.

Zachery had to be pleased to see his Lions bounce back from an opening loss at Hancock County (Tenn.) where Pineville fell 10-0 in five innings.

The Lions had four hits in the contest, led by Logunn Littles’ double.  Tristen Johnson, Nasir Wilson, and Sean Pursifull also had hits.

Deakon Partin started on the mound for the Lions.  Partin pitched two innings, giving up four runs on three hits while striking out four and walking four.  Kordell Partin pitched two innings, struck out four and walked six, and gave up three runs.  Nasir Wilson pitched the last frame and gave up three runs (one earned) and walked three.

Zachery picked up his first win of the season on Thursday, as the Lions defeated Lynn Camp 17-4 in five innings.

The Lions pounded out 16 hits in the evening.  Senior Wyatt Caldwell had a big day at the plate going three of four with his first home run of the season, a double, and four RBI.  Littles added three hits and two doubles, while Deakon and Kordell Partin added three hits and a double each.  Deakon Partin knocked in three runs as well.  Johnson had two hits and three RBI.  Kaiden Robbins had two hits and an RBI.  Sam Caldwell added a single.

Littles earned the win, tossing four innings and striking out eight.  He gave up four runs (three earned) on two hits and walked four.  Robbins pitched the final frame and struck out two and walked one.

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The South Laurel Cardinals and the Pineville Lady Lions hooked up in an old-fashioned pitchers duel between the Cardinals’ Kenzie Williams and the Lions’ Rachel Howard.  The Cardinals broke open the scoreless game with two runs in the fifth inning to go on to a tight 5-0 win over the Lions in Pineville.

Williams had a stellar day for South on the mound, throwing a perfect game with 18 strikeouts.

Howard matched Williams’s output for most of the contest on the hill, fanning 19 Cardinals in an overpowering performance.

The Cardinals manufactured five hits against Howard, led by Skye Lawson and Morgan Jackson’s two hits.  Sadie Lewis added a single.