Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — Now that’s how to start a season.
The Rock Hill Redwomen opened the softball season with an 11-1 win over the Portsmouth West Lady Senators and 11-9 over the Westfall Lady Mustangs Saturday in the annual Queen of the Hill.
“I’m really proud of our ladies for not giving up. Down eight runs to a good team like Westfall, it would have been easy just to give up, but our girls came back with a lot of fight and grit,” said Rock Hill coach Brooke Long.
“We still have a lot of work to do, but we’ve had a good start to our season.”
Kylee Howard pitched a complete game and allowed just one hit. She struck out six and walked one.
The Redwomen pounded out 13 hits led by Grace Stevens who was 3-4 with a double and three runs batted in and Kate Delong who was 3-4 with an RBI.
Rileigh Morris was 2-3 with two RBI, Keilie Adams went 2-4, Howard 2-4 with a home run and two RBI and Hayleigh Rowe 1-3 with a two-run homer.
Rock Hill got the offense going early by taking a 5-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a home run by Howard and a 250-foot bomb by Rowe.
In the second game, Rock Hill fell behind 9-1 after three innings but rallied for eight runs in the fourth to tie the game and added two more runs in the fifth.
In the fourth, Hanshaw singled and courtesy runner Grace Stevens moved up on a hit by Rowe. Aleigha Matney got a bunt single to load the bases.
Baylie Harrah tripled to clear the bases and scored on a sacrifice by Adams who was safe on the play. Pinch-hitter Abbi Morrison was safe on an error, Morris grounded out to advance the runners who scored on Howard’s two-out single.
Hanshaw then drilled a two-run homer to tie the game.
In the fifth, Adams lined a single to open the inning. Morris singled, Stevens was safe on an error and Howard drove in the two go-ahead runs.
First Game
Ports. West 010 000 = 1 1 3
Rock Hill 502 213 = 11 13 4
Ayer, Parr (1) and Boland. Kylee Howard and Makenzie Hanshaw. W-Howard (K-6, BB-1). L-Ayer (BB-1, HBP-1). Hitting-PW: Hammond 1-2; RH: Rileigh Morris 2-3 2-rbi, Grace Stevens 3-4 3-rbi 2B, Kylee Howard 2-4 HR 2-rbi, Hayleigh Rowe 1-3 HR 2-rbi, Keilie Adams 2-4, Kate Delong 3-4 rbi.
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Second Game
Westfall 414 000 0 = 9 13 3
Rock Hill 010 820 x = 11 12 4
Fuller, Barney (4) and Mullens. Kylee Howard and Makenzie Hanshaw. W-Howard (K-2, BB-1). L-Barney (K-2, BB-0). Fuller (K-3, BB-1). Hitting-WF: Dudgeon 2-3 rbi, Fuller 3-4 rbi, Williams 2-4 rbi, Stonreck 1-4 rbi, Mullens 3-4, Brickenhauser 1-4, Tinny 1-4; RH: Rileigh Morris 1-4, Grace Stevens 1-4, Kylee Howard 2-4 4-rbi, Makenzie Hanshaw 2-4 HR 2-rbi, Hayleigh Rowe 1-3, Aleigha Matney 1-3, Baylie Harrah 3-4 3-rbi, Keilie Adams 1-3 rbi sac, Samantha Stamper sac.