Heart River beats Central McLean in eight-inning thriller
In a dramatic extra-inning contest on April 29, the Central McLean Cougars softball team fell just short in a high-scoring battle against Heart River, dropping a 10-9 decision after eight tightly contested innings.
The Cougars opened strong, jumping out to a 2-1 lead in the first inning and extending their advantage with three more runs in the third to make it 5-1.
Central McLean’s bats were alive early and often, as the lineup combined for 17 hits on the day and built what appeared to be a commanding lead.
However, the game took a sharp turn in the fifth inning when Heart River erupted for seven runs to take an 8-5 lead.
The outburst was fueled by timely hits, a couple of walks, and key miscues from the Cougar defense.
Central McLean responded with a run in the sixth to cut the deficit to 8-6, but Heart River tacked on two more in the top of the seventh, pushing the lead to 10-6.
Refusing to go quietly, the Cougars rallied in the bottom of the seventh.
