Danny Hensley’s squad hasn’t lost at Crestview since 2015, and this year proved no different.
- Niceville avenged last week’s 3-1 loss with a 3-2 victory Monday night, holding off a furious seventh-inning rally from the Lady Bulldogs to pick up its third straight win.
“I thought we played well. We made a few mistakes at the end, we hit the ball hard all game, we should’ve had eight or nine runs, we left too many baserunners on base,” Hensley said. “But I was proud of the fact that we hung in there, got the win, we’ve beaten three quality teams, and we’re gaining momentum.”
For the first four innings, it was another pitcher’s duel between Niceville’s Chloe Bailey and Crestview’s Cambell Toolan, as both lineups struggled to get going. But someone was due to break through, and it turned out to be Niceville.
In the fifth, after Bailey hit a fly out to start the inning, Carnley Summerlin singled. Sydney Hann, in place of Annabelle Shackelford after Shackelford was injured in the third, reached first on an error by Anna Parker that allowed Summerlin to advance to third. Valerie Malley then put the Lady Eagles on the board with a sacrifice fly that scored Summerlin.
- Bailey followed that up by striking out three straight batters heading into the sixth.
Krissa Troutman and Quinn Graham both got out to start the inning, but Briana Noles walked, Bailey singled, and Summerlin reached first on an error by Taeia Schriner that scored Noles to make it 2-0 Niceville. Crestview once again went three up, three down in its half of the sixth.
In the seventh, the Lady Eagles had their best inning of the night. After Malley hit a fly out, Natalie Miller launched a home run to put Niceville up 3-0. A Molly Mayfield double gave the Lady Eagles a chance to add on, but outs from Troutman and Kaylee McKissack gave the Lady Bulldogs one more chance.
And quickly, Crestview’s offense, which had been quiet all game, came alive. Toolan flew out to begin the seventh, but Schriner and Parker singled. MacKenzie Toth hit a grounder and was out at first. Summerlin threw to Troutman, who appeared to have Parker out at third for the final out, but after further discussion from the officials, Parker was ruled safe, keeping Crestview’s slim hopes alive.
Tianna Hill then hit a fly ball and Miller was in position to get the final out, but she dropped it, allowing Parker and Schriner to score and cutting the lead to 3-2. That left the fate of the game on the bat of Makenzie Muse.
- Muse singled, and Hill also appeared to be safe at third, but the officials again discussed the play and ruled that Troutman got the out in time, ending the game and extending Niceville’s winning streak at Crestview to 10 straight.
“That builds character right there. You’re going to have those kinds of situations, and to see our kids answer and respond and make a good play at third to get us out, it speaks volumes about our character,” Hensley said.
Bailey finished with eight strikeouts and allowed five hits.
“Chloe did outstanding. She dominated the game. Her last three outings have just been awesome,” Hensley said.
Niceville (11-6) hosts West Florida Tech on Tuesday.
Crestview (12-6) hosts Todd County Central (Kentucky) on Wednesday.
