Eastside (10-4, 7-0 Region 4-AAAA) scored early and often, putting up eight runs in the first two innings to defeat Spalding 10-2 by mercy rule in the fifth inning.

The Lady Eagles had shutout the Lady Jaguars for four innings behind the pitching of Molly Moon and the Lady Eagles’ resilient and stingy defense.

In the first inning after Catlin Ray grounded out, Brittany Medlin hit a triple to the corner of left field. Medlin would score after a hit from Miranda Hopper turned into an error. With the bases loaded and two outs, still in the bottom of the first, Madison McCrorey hit a blooper to left field that scored two runs.

Molly Moon followed up with a shot to shortstop, in what should’ve been a routine out for Spalding, turned into a runner on base and two runs scored for Eastside giving them a 5-0 lead after the opening inning.

The Lady Eagles’ defense held tight in the second and the offense got back to business. Hopper started it off with a single to left-center field. Bailey Stewart earned a walk and Ashleigh Williams grounded into a fielder’s choice that left her at first and Hopper at third.

Taylor Baggett hit a single to center, scoring Hopper and leaving runners at the corners yet again. McCrorey came up right behind Baggett and fired a shot in deep left field that hit the gate for a two RBI double. Moon grounded out to end the inning as Eastside held a firm 8-0 lead.

Spalding wouldn’t let up anymore runs until the bottom of the fifth inning after scoring two at the top of the period when Eastside looked to be in trouble with a runner in scoring position and just one out, but Moon stayed calm and got the next two batters out leaving the door open for the offense to end the game and end it they did.

Ray hit a ground out that scored McCrorey and Medlin quickly followed up with a single that scored the winning run to make it 10-2, ball game.

“Molly did well,” Heather Wood, Eastside head coach, said. “She put us in a position to win. We did have a good game offensively that was able to come through for us even when we did get in those tight spots.”

“I was very proud of how we came through executing in certain situations that we needed to and overall a team effort and good quality at-bats,” Wood added in reference to her team’s hits on offense.

Eastside is currently in sole possession of first place in Region 4-AAAA and they only have a few more games to go before they can lock down that position with wins against Walnut Grove and Locust Grove next week.