On Tuesday, neither of the two young squads started as they finished, but five early runs were enough for Green Hope to hold off its Highway 55 rival. Green Hope tagged Catamounts starting pitcher Jackie Lawson for three runs in the first inning and two more in the second. The Falcons had just one hit the rest of the way, but it was enough to pull out the home win, 5-3.

“We got some outs in key positions … I have to rely on the three returning players a lot," Green Hope coach Michelle Then said.

At the start of the third inning, Panther Creek inserted senior Katie Moore into the lineup and onto the mound while Lawson moved to left field. Moore single-handedly changed the game’s complexion.

At the plate, she drove in all three of her team’s runs – ripping a two-RBI triple in the fourth and an RBI single in the sixth. On the mound, she gave up one hit in four innings and struck out nine – including the last seven batters she faced.

Moore didn’t start because of a team policy about missing practice.

“When we don’t throw her to start, it gives us some fits defensively. But we’ve got to learn to adjust to it and play,” first-year P.C. coach Heidi Kearnan said. “The complexion of that game would have been different had she started … it’s one of those lessons you have to take the loss to learn.”

Green Hope pitcher Lindsey Hilts, one of five starting freshman, retired the side in order in four innings and had a no-hitter through three. Hilts already has a one-hitter on her record this year in an earlier match-up against Durham Jordan.

She helped her own cause in the second, notching an RBI single.

“Today I think she gave up one walk, and that’s been critical for her,” Then said. “She’s not the fasting pitcher but she’s got good control. I’m excited for her and her future.”

Hilts was in trouble in the fourth inning. A leadoff single by right fielder Jess Firestone was followed up by a walk to catcher Madision Shaw. Moore’s triple brought each girl home and there were still no outs.

But some defensive help got her out of the inning with only those two runs scoring.

P.C. third baseman Nicole Ottoway laid down a bunt, but it didn’t stray far from the plate. Green Hope catcher Lexi Ross fired a throw to third, where Moore was scrambling back and shortstop Erica Taylor was covering.

Taylor, a junior, tagged out a diving Moore and looked to second – but center fielder Karly Donovan was nowhere to be found.

“I saw no one on second and I saw [Ottoway] running, I don’t know, I guess instincts kicked hrough,” Taylor said. Taylor and Ottoway took off on a foot-race to second base.

Taylor tagged Ottoway just in time, completing the double play and giving her team a huge boost.

“That’s the best we’ve played defensively,” Then said. “That could’ve scored a lot of runs. Erica is one of my upperclassmen captains so it’s great for her to make a big play.”

Taylor also drove in Ross, the leadoff hitter, in the first inning on a single. Two batters later, the bases were full and second baseman Jessi Beech ripped a single that drove in two more.

Beech also drove in the final Falcons run in the second, as her single scored Hilts.

“Every time there was a strike I just tried to hit it as hard as I could,” Beech said.