By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON - The Bluffton High School girls softball team lost 11-1 to visiting Northwest Conference rival Lima Central Catholic on a warm evening Monday, April 28.

The Pirate girls dropped to 2-7 overall and 1-3 in the NWC with the loss. LCC improved to 4-7 and 3-1 in NWC play after the convincing win.

Bluffton scored first in the second inning as Danielle Cross tripled and came home on a Jessa Swank RBI.  

The Thunderbird girls took the lead for good with two runs in the third. The visitors plated three runs in the top of the fourth to build a 5-1 cushion. LCC then put the game out of reach with six runs in the seventh.

Cross added a single to her three-bagger. 

Bluffton was out-hit by LCC, 9-3. The Pirates drew one walk, and their pitchers issued six bases on balls. 

Bluffton committed six errors that led to nine unearned runs. LCC made no miscues.

Pirate Peyton Worcester pitched 5.1 innings and gave up just two earned runs on four hits to suffer the hard-luck loss. She struck out seven and walked six. Worcester singled for the third Pirate hit.  

Reliever Haelee Rayle hurled 1.2 innings, giving up five hits and six unearned runs with one whiff.

T-Bird Melina Badea smacked two doubles, a single and scored three runs. Carolina Kill drove in three runs. Sophia Hurley had two RBI on two singles. Emma Skinner stroked a double and a single.

Skinner pitched all seven innings to get the win. She struck out 14 Pirates and walked just one. She gave up just three hits and one run.

The Pirates stranded five runners, while LCC left eight on base.

123 456 7 R H E

LCC 002 300 6 11 8 0

Blu 010 000 0 1 3 6

WP-Skinner LP-Worcester 

2B-Skinner (L), Badea 2 (L)

3B-Cross (B)