DRIVER – Bennett’s Creek stayed alive in the Division 6 Major League Softball Tournament (11-12 years old) on Monday evening with an 18-8 win over Cradock/Wilson. BC scored at least three runs in every inning and clinched the 10-run rule with six runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Cradock/Wilson had no way to slow down BC’s offense. After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, BC got going with six runs in its half of the inning.

BC’s offense was a mix of walks, singles and aggressive base running. BC runners forced three Cradock/Wilson throwing errors, stole three bases, including having Julianna Stewart and Brianna Cochran swipe third base, and advanced on numerous wild pitches and passed balls.

Brittany Hotte’s single into center put BC’s first two runs on the board as Stewart scored from third and Julia Torres moved to second on the hit and came all the way around to the plate on an error.

Cochran added a two-RBI single in the first, and Stewart, hitting for the second time in the frame, had an RBI single.

Two of BC’s three runs in the second inning scored on Kaitlyn Mealey’s smash down the third-base line which went for a double.

BC led 9-1 through two innings and was going with an interesting pitching strategy of having each pitcher throw one inning each. Tammy Davenport tossed the first for BC, and Stewart got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the second.

Cradock/Wilson mounted a big comeback in the third to get within 9-8. Most of the offense came against Cochran, before Deidre DeBusk came on in relief to get the last two outs and keep BC in the lead.

Bennett’s Creek padded its lead again right away, though, scoring three times in the third, while needing only one hit. Walks and wild pitches aided BC, as Stewart and Torres both scored on wild pitches.

BC finished the game with another big rally in the fourth. Stewart, Torres, Hotte and DeBusk strung together singles.

Stewart, Torres and Cochran scored three runs each for BC. Hotte, Emily Carson, Alexis Rogers and Davenport scored two runs each. DeBusk finished the pitching duties, finishing with 1.2 innings pitched, one hit allowed, no walks and three strikeouts.

BC needs one more win to reach the finals, but must get it against Olive Branch, which defeated BC 12-8 in the second game of the tournament. Game one, of what Bennett’s Creek hopes will be two championship games, is set for Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Bennett’s Creek Little League.