GREENSBURG, Ky. – A fifth-inning push followed by clutch pitching from
K'Asia Palmer helped propel the Blue Raider softball team to a series-winning 3-2 victory over Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) at Green County American Legion Park.
Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, Lindsey Wilson got right to work as
Brylee Pickerell dropped a single over the Lions' first baseman. The next at-bat,
Sam Hartman drove a base-hit through the left side.
After a flyout moved Pickerell up to third base,
Kaiden Rodgers and
Kendall Dailey stepped up with back-to-back RBI-singles to plate Pickerell and Hartman, knotting the score at 2-2.
Dailey's hit up the middle bumped Rodgers to third, setting up
Katie Lorenz with an opportunity to give the Blue Raiders the lead. The senior stayed patient in the box before sending a deep ball to center field that, when caught, gave enough time for Rodgers to score.
In the sixth inning, Palmer let a lead-off single aboard but proceeded to strikeout the next three batters. Then, in the seventh, Freed-Hardeman threatened with consecutive hits and eventually put the tying-run at third base on a sacrifice bunt. Nevertheless, Palmer and the Blue Raider defense maintained their composure and forced a groundout to
Natalie Wandrie at third before Palmer iced the game with her career-high fourth strikeout.
Lindsey Wilson's series win against the defending Mid-South tournament champions is its first between the two since 2021.
Palmer finished the weekend with a 1.00 earned run average over 7.0 innings pitched as she improves to 2-0 this season.
The Blue Raiders are back in action at 2 p.m. CST on Friday, April 11 at Campbellsville (Ky.).
