Wesson’s Lady Cobras shut out Purvis 3-0 in their first of two games at the South Jones softball tournament Saturday.

Pitching and timely hitting were key for the Lady Cobras. Mixing up locations, the Wesson girls managed to keep Purvis off the bases for most of the game and were able to string in a couple of good scoring hits to pick up the win.

“It was a good win,” said Lady Cobras senior Amber Brinson. “We were kinda iffy at first, but we came back.”

Pitching for the Lady Cobras, freshman Laynee Crapps kept the Purvis girls off the bases in the second inning, getting a strike out, fly ball and a ground out.

Batting in their half of the second, sophomore Arie Douglas got the Lady Cobras started as she drew a walk. Batting behind her, sophomore Katie McSweyn reached first on a single. The Wesson girls scored the first two runs of the game when a mishandled throw to first base went into the outfield, allowing Lady Cobras sophomore Natalie Bonds to get on base. The Lady Tornadoes managed to get out of the inning getting back-to-back strikeouts.

Although the Lady Tornadoes managed to get two runners on base in the top of the third, the Lady Cobras defense denied them any runs.

“We finished the game,” Crapps said.

The Purvis girls returned the favor by stranding two Lady Cobras in the bottom of the third, giving themselves a chance to stay in the game.

The Lady Tornadoes got one runner on base in the fourth off a double, but the Lady Cobras were able to strand the runner with a strikeout and a double play.

The Wesson girls scored the final run of the game in their half of the fourth. McSweyn led off with a single. Junior Shaylin Green moved her over to second base with a sacrifice bunt. Facing two outs, freshman Molly Granger hit a single. With runners on the corners, the Lady Cobras scored as McSweyn stole home plate. The Lady Tornadoes finally got out of the inning with a ground ball out.

Neither team was able to produce much offense after the fourth inning, as both defenses stepped up to keep runners off the bags for the rest of the game. Wesson went on to shut out Purvis 3-0.

“Our pitching did very well considering the wind,” said Lady Cobras coach Michelle Nunery. “We didn’t play good defense and our bats weren’t as strong as they were when we faced Columbia last night. All in all it was a good game. We were able to small-ball them a good bit.”

Crapps pitched all seven innings for the Lady Cobras and picked up the win.

Story by Dave Linton