Scoring early and often, the Houston High School softball team beat Bourbon 16-1 in a run-rule shortened first round game of the Class 2 District Tournament Saturday at Potosi.
After Bourbon got 1 run on 1 hit in the top of the first inning, the top-seeded Lady Tigers scored 5 times in the bottom of the frame and then added 7 runs in the second inning and another 4 in the third.
The contest ended on an RBI single by senior Kelsey Pritchett with 1 out in the third that invoked the run rule.
Houston knocked 13 hits in the game and took advantage of 9 walks and 9 stolen bases.
Pritchett went 3-for-4 at the plate, with a double, 3 RBIS and 2 runs scored. Juniors Makinley Aaron, Lacey Cavaness and Sophia Crites all had multi-hit outings for the Lady Tigers. Aaron went 2-for-2 with 2 walks, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs and 2 runs, while Crites went 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs and Cavaness went 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored.
Sophomore Lilly Kincaid did the pitching for Houston and gave up only 2 hits while striking out 7 and walking 1.
Seeded eighth in the tournament’s 9-team bracket, Bourbon had defeated No. 9 Kingston 16-2 in a play-in game last Thursday.
In Saturday’s other first-round matchup, No. 3 West County (of Park Hills) blanked No. 6 Salem 10-0.
In first round action on Monday, No. 2 Steelville will face No. 7 Grandview (of Hillsboro) and No. 4 Potosi takes on No. 5 Licking.
Weather permitting, the semifinals are set for Tuesday and the district championship game is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday (May 8).