Prep Softball: Bulldogs open season in style

The Harrisburg High School softball team got off on the right foot Wednesday, staking claim to a 3-1 win over Hardin County.

Matty Hawkins, a freshman, picked up the win and the went the distance for the Bulldogs.

Hawkins (1-0) allowed one earned run on just two hits, while striking out 10 and walking three.

Harrisburg head coach Red Stafford said that despite being just a freshman and despite a few jitters, Hawkins was impressive.

"As cold as it was and being her first varsity game, she hit her spots and I was real happy with her."

Hardin County senior right hander Grace Vaughn, who has signed to play for John A. Logan College next season, held Harrisburg to just two hits.

Whitney Younger led the Bulldogs at the plate, going 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Mckenzie Sullivan was 1-for-2 with a run scored.

Younger plated a run in the fifth inning, while Sullivan scored on an E6 in the sixth after she led the inning off with a walk and went to second on an error.

Defensively, Harrisburg committed no errors on the day, which for Stafford was the biggest bright spot of the chilly afternoon.

"I was real happy with how we played defensively," he said. "We did a good job of fielding the ball when we had to and it's always nice to get that first one out of the way. Aside from the win, I can't say enough about the job that T.A. Sullivan and the park district did in preparing our field for us today. It was a blessing."