Cox continues shutout streak in win over Lake Hamilton
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Tyler Cox extended her no-hit string of innings to 11 2/3, and her shutout streak to 15 innings (and counting) as the Bryant Lady Hornets edged the Lake Hamilton Lady Wolves 2-0 on Tuesday, March 6.
After pitching an eight-inning no-hitter against Clarksville the previous day, Cox didn’t give up a hit to Lake Hamilton until a two-out single in the third inning. She then, with the backing of a flawless defense, retired 10 of the next 12 before giving up a lead-off single in the top of the seventh. She wound up with the two-hit shutout and eight strikeouts with two walks and a hit batter as the Lady Hornets improved to 9-1-1 on the season going into their 7A-Central Conference opener against Mount St. Mary’s at Sherwood on Thursday, March 8.
She ended the game with her eighth strikeout, to get out of a two-on, two-out jam.
The Lady Hornets didn’t fare much better against Lake Hamilton’s Kelsey Armstrong, who pitched a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts.
But both Bryant hits and one of the two Lake Hamilton errors in the game came in the first inning and provided all the runs that would be needed. Hailey King opened the bottom of the first with a base hit. She stole second and, with one out, took third on a single by Cox. Randie Juliusson followed with a tap on the infield that drew a wild throw to first that sailed down the right-field line. King scored easily and Cox followed with Juliusson winding up at third.
Armstrong kept it to that with a pair of strikeouts to strand the runner at third but the damage had been done.
In fact, the Lady Hornets only managed one more baserunner in the game and that was by virtue of a one-out error in the third.
Lake Hamilton made a little noise in the third when that first hit was preceded by a walk but Cox got the next batter to pop out to King at short to end the inning.
In the seventh, however, came the lead-off single. The runner was forced out on a grounder to Laci Rowland at second but a passed ball and an error put the potential tying runners at first and third. However, Juliusson threw out the runner at first when she tried to steal second. A walk followed to keep the situation tense but Cox ended it with a strikeout.
