Lady Colts get walk-off win against Lincoln
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The Inter-Mountain photos by Joey Kittle
Philip Barbour players celebrate leaving the field after getting two key defensive plays by pitcher Sara Simon and second baseman Lilley Criss to end a Lincoln threat in the top of the sixth inning.
PHILIPPI -- Friday night's Lincoln and Philip Barbour contest had a postseason feeling -- and for good reason.
The Big 10 Conference rivals entered the contest with a combined 25-1 record, and now both teams have one loss on the season as the Lady Colts plated a run in the bottom of the ninth to claim a 6-5 victory.
Philip Barbour's lone loss of the campaign came at the hands of the previous unbeaten Lady Cougars back on March 31 in Shinnston.
The Lady Colts evened the season series on Friday, however, when Sara Simon led off the ninth with a double to center and Avery McDaniel followed with a sacrifice bunt to move her to third.
Katie Kennedy then struck out swinging but on the dropped final strike, Simon raced home on the throw to first base.
With both team's going with their ace pitchers on the mound in Simon and the Lady Cougars' Delaney Haller, the visitors struck first when Emily Robey doubled in Haller, who had reached on a single, in the first inning.
The Lady Colts responded in the home half of the frame as Katie Kennedy cracked a two-out single to score Katielynn Warner and Simon was able to also score on the throw.
Katelyn Cooper then singled to right to make it 3-1.
Lincoln tied the game in the third on Karriss Drain's RBI fielder's choice and a throwing error.
After Kennedy gave the Lady Colts the lead back in the bottom of the inning with another RBI single, Alexis Williams answered with at two-run single in the fourth to give Lincoln a 5-4 advantage.
Philip Barbour got even in the sixth when Makayla Gonzales grounded out to second to plate Kennedy.
The Lady Colts threatened to end the game in the seventh as singles by Warner, Lilley Criss and Simon loaded the bases with no outs.
But the Lady Cougars got two outs on throws to home plate and a fly out as the game moved to extra innings.
Philip Barbour stranded runners on second and third in the eighth and Simon worked around a two-out single by Haller in the ninth.
"Our girls never quit tonight and it was a great win for us," Lady Colts coach Rob Simon said.
Haller and Simon both went the distance for their respective teams and each hurler recorded seven strikeouts.
Philip Barbour held a 13-9 advantage in hits and was led by Simon with four safeties, including a double, Kennedy with three singles and Cooper and Preslee Fincham with two hits each.
Haller was 3 for 5 for Lincoln and Williams had two hits and a pair of RBIs.
Robey and Cadence Lambert had doubles.
Philip Barbour moved to 12-1 overall and 10-1 in Big 10 games. The Lady Colts host Preston at 9 a.m. today, then will face Wirt County (1 p.m.) and Williamstown (3 p.m.) at Grafton.
The Lady Cougars (13-1, 11-1 Big 10) will visit Bridgeport at 5 p.m. Monday for a league tilt.