By JIM STEELE
mckenzierebels.com

McKenzie's youth movement continues to pay dividends for the Lady Rebel softball team.

Freshman Trevatia Bowden led the second inning off with a solo blast, classmate Crystal Doub struck out 10 and allowed Bowden's blast to stand up. The Lady Rebels defeated Clarksburg 1-0 in a make-up 13A clash at Mulberry Park.

The victory pushed McKenzie over the .500 mark at 7-6 and vaulted them to a 5-1 District 13A record.

McKenzie did just enough to ease past the pesky Lady Rockets, who were not at full strenght when McKenzie won a 10-4 decision during a chilly Monday contest at Parkers Crossroads. Clarksburg played pretty solid defense and freshman hurler Erica Yarbro wasn't too bad herself. She limited the Lady Rebels to just three hits and struck out eight.

The Lady Rebels have struggled to put bats on the ball and Wednesday, as has been the case all year, but they are doing a better job putting it in play. Tenisha Carey twice reached on errors, Mignon Salameh rocketed a line drive right back up the middle in the sixth, but Yarbro's webbing snared it for the final out of the inning. The rope almost took the Clarksburg pitcher's glove off.

Bowden put some serious hurt on the ball to lead off the second. She cranked a shot that cleared the left-center wall, but that was that. Evan Hudgins laced a single in the first and Doub reached on an infield hit in the the fifth. Except for two errors and a walk, that was all the baserunner help McKenzie had.

"Trevatia's home run was big. It was crucial," said McKenzie coach Jessica Hardy. "We still aren't hitting like we need to, but we're doing a better job putting the bat on the ball."

Doub pitched a complete game and worked out of trouble in the seventh. Clarksburg's Brooke Cary and Amanda Renfro each singled and advanced to third and second, respectively, after a dropped pitch. But Doub bore down and fanned the final three batters for the win.

"This was Crystal's game today," said Hardy. "Ten strikeouts were big today."

The Lady Rebels have off the remainder of the week, but will host Stewart County Monday an celebrate Senior Day. The first pitch is 5 p.m. McKenzie hosts Huntingdon and hopes to avenge its earlier 2-1 loss 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 22. McKenzie hits the road to Stewart County on April 23 then plays in the Tom Corbitt Classic April 25-26 at Waverly. The Lady Rebels face Fairview 5 p.m. on April 25, then Bolivar at 8. On April 26, McKenzie faces LaVergne at 12:30. McKenzie faced LaVergne's fledgling football program back in the fall of 1988.

In Tuesday action:

GLEASON GIRLS 7-3, McKENZIE 3-5 at Mulberry Park - Gleason took the opening game of a non-district twinbill 7-3 limiting the Lady Rebels to just two hits, singles from Bowden and Kelsey Carr. In the nightcap, McKenzie turned the tables with a 5-3 victory.

Senior Lesley Robertson cracked two hits as did Colby Prosser. Kelsie Poore, Crystal Doub, Trevatia Bowden and Hannah Potts each singled.