The Opp Lady Bobcats used a strong start to knock off the Straughn Lady Tigers 8-2 Monday in Straughn.

 

In the top of the first, the Lady Bobcats jumped out front 5-0 off a combination of good hitting and mental mistakes by the Lady Tigers.

 

Hayden Willis loaded the bases off a fielder’s choice and two walks, before giving up a walk to Paige Johnson that plated Courtney Chatham from third.

 

Loryn Praytor then drove in Ariyon Hightower with a single.

 

Katie Spurlin was hit by a pitch to give the Lady Bobcats a 3-0 lead.

 

Sara Ballard put the Lady Bobcats up 4-0 with a RBI single, and the Lady Bobcats went up 5-0 when Tori Reisnour was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

 

The Lady Tigers’ first run came when Molly Stewart scored off a throwing error from the Lady Bobcats’ third baseman in the bottom of the fourth.

 

The Lady Bobcats answered right back in the top of the fifth, when a two-run single off the bat of Chatham put the Lady Bobcats up 7-1.

 

In the top of the sixth, the Lady Bobcats added another run off of a run scoring single from Johnson.

 

Willis drove in the Lady Tigers’ second run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with a fielder’s choice that pushed Stewart across the plate.

 

Jacie Williamson led off the bottom of the seventh with a double, but Chatham got three straight pop ups to end the game.

 

“They are excited about the win,” Lady Bobcats’ head coach Jimmy Reeves said. “We have got a pretty good rivalry going with them, and before tonight they had gotten to use a few times. Our hits were falling in, and theirs were going straight at us. We had the mojo or something going for us tonight. It was just our night. That was a proud win for us, and we wish them the best in the playoffs. Maybe we can both make a little noise in the playoffs.”

 

Chatham and Johnson led the way for the Lady Bobcats with two RBIs each.

 

“We gave up a lot of unearned runs,” Lady Tigers’ head coach Kenny Skipper said. “You can’t take anything away from Opp, because they made the plays they needed to make and we just didn’t. When you play that sloppy you are going to lose it doesn’t matter how good or bad the team is you are playing. You don’t make plays you lose. Simple as that.”