Lady Panthers' Big Week Establishes Them As State Title Contenders
The Tug Valley Lady Panthers had quite the week. They entered it ranked 4th in Class A, but after 4 big wins, all by mercy rule, Tug Valley is turning a ton of heads.
The Lady Panthers (14-3), coached by Rocky Hall, have won nine straight games and started this week by defeating Class AA Westside, 10-2, in 5 innings. They then made a huge statement by dismantling Class A's second team Sherman, 10-2, in 5 innings. Tug Valley then took down Tolsia, 15-0, in 3 innings. And they finished out the week by defeating Class AAAA Woodrow Wilson, 9-0, in 5 innings.
At the plate, the Lady Panthers are led by West Virginia State signee Bailee Hall who is tearing the cover off the ball. So far this season, she is batting a mind boggling .717 with 8 home runs, 20 RBIs, 36 runs scored and 22 stolen bases. Her cousin Katie Hall has been punishing the ball lately and now has a .460 batting average with 3 homers, 29 RBIs and 24 runs scored. Freshman Gracie Hynd is having a strong season with a .404 batting average with an inside the park homer, 11 RBIs and 15 runs scored. Emma Lackey is hitting .319 with 1 homer, 13 RBIs and 18 runs scored. Catcher Paisley Bolyard is batting .294 with 11 RBIs and 24 runs scored. Bryleigh Fletcher is batting .283 with 11 RBIs and 5 runs scored. Caylee Steel is batting .227 with 13 RBIs and 13 RBIs.
Tug Valley excels in the pitcher's circle. Many teams have one ace that they can rely on, but the Lady Panthers are fortunate to have two on their roster. Bailee Hall compliments her own hitting with stellar pitching with fantastic control. She currently has a 7-1 record with a 1.10 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 38.1 innings pitched. Lackey is the team's flamethrower and has been clocked at 68 miles per hour. This season, she has a 7-2 record with a 1.08 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 52 innings pitched. This duo will be key to the Lady Panthers' postseason run.
The Lady Panthers have a very challenging schedule that should prepare them for a playoff run. Their next big task is a powerful Logan team on Monday.
There's a lot of optimism in Naugatuck about this team for good reason. Tug Valley has never qualified for the state tournament, and for much of the school's existence it seemed more like a dream. However, with the wins racking up, the Lady Panthers appear poised to make a run at something special.
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