Tiger softball sweeps Louisburg

Freshman Hannah Geneva winds up during the first game of a doubleheader against Louisburg at Don Hewett Field Tuesday afternoon. Geneva allowed just 3 hits and struck out 12 batters in winning the first game 2-1. She was the winning pitcher in relief in the second game. (Kenny Felt/Exclusive to the Tribune)

The first game of Tuesday's Fort Scott High School season-opening doubleheader was won with pitching and defense. The second game was won with timely hitting.

Together, they led to a Tiger sweep of Louisburg, 2-1 in the opener and 8-5 in the nightcap, at Don Hewett Field.

Freshman Hannah Geneva struck out 12 Wildcats in the opener and walked nobody. She gave up only 3 hits and just 1 of those game after the second inning. The Tiger defense behind her committed only 1 error.

"I've known about her for a long time," Fort Scott head coach Alvin Metcalf said. "I've been waiting on her. She threw a great game. She was moving the ball around. The defense was playing great."

Louisburg scored its run, an unearned one, in the top of the first inning. Fort Scott scored both its runs in the bottom half.

Hannah Tourtillott led off the inning with a double. Maddi Allen bunted her over to third. Riley Brown followed with an RBI single and moved to second on a passed ball. Geneva brought Brown home with a double to left.

Tourtillott was 2 for 3 in the opener as she also had a third-inning single.

Game two looked initially as though it was going to finish in a similar way as Fort Scott led 2-0 after four innings. Brown belted a triple in the first and scored on a passed ball. Allen singled with 2 out in the third and moved the rest of the way around on passed balls and wild pitches.

Kyenne Wade allowed just 1 hit over the first 4 innings. But three Tiger errors in the fifth gave Louisburg the lead on 3 unearned runs.

Fort Scott reclaimed the lead, 5-3, in the bottom of the inning. Bailie Brown led off with a triple and Tourtillott drew a walk. Tourtillott stole third and got an extra base on a passed ball, which allowed Brown to score. Allen came up and reached when Louisburg tried, and failed, to throw Tourtillott out at the plate. Geneva brought Allen in with a one-out single.

The Wildcats tied the game 5-5 with 2 runs in the top of the sixth. Riley Brown, limited to designated player duty in the second game as her hip was bothering her, cleared the bases with a 2-out triple that scored Shelby Maycumber, Tourtillott and Allen, all of whom had singled. Brown was thrown out at home plate on the play trying to score herself.

"Riley thrives on that. I really do believe that," Metcalf said.

Geneva, who came on in relief in the bottom of the sixth, was the winning pitcher. Allen and R.Brown each had 2 hits.

The Tigers travel to Pittsburg for Southeast Kansas League games Thursday then return to Don Hewett Field Friday to make-up their home tournament.

Game One

Fort Scott...... 200 000 x -- 2 4 1

WP -- Geneva (1-0). LP -- Cannon.

None.

Game Two

Fort Scott...... 101 033 x -- 8 8 2

WP -- Geneva (2-0). LP -- n/a.

HR -- None.