The game stayed tight through the first three innings with host Scott softball holding a slim 2-1 lead.
The tide turned quickly in the fourth inning when Cooper found an offensive rhythm, exploding for 13 runs over the next two innings on the way to a 14-4 five-inning run-ruling. Cooper has won 11 in a row against Scott dating back to Scott’s lone win in the series, 8-4 on April 27, 2009.
Scott starting pitcher Emma Scribner (2-1) allowed just one batter to reach in the first three innings, but Cooper figured things out in the second round through the line-up. The Jaguars took the lead for good with seven runs in the top of the fourth to go up 8-2.
“They’re changing the culture here at Scott. They came in extremly competitive. We knew we were in a dogfight early,” Cooper head coach Rusty Scott said. “(Scribner) hit her spots, made it tough on us, made us look bad. It’s not on us. It’s on her. Then we settled in the box, got a little more aggressive and started barreling a couple up.”
Grace Cline and Kat Furnish led off the fourth with singles and Kailey Milburn doubled them in. Milburn then took third when Sadie James flied out to left and Ainsley Scroggie landed a bunt single to score Milburn to make it 4-2 Jaguars. Cooper had three of the team’s four doubles in that inning. Ava Scott finished the rally with a double to center scoring Kaylee Stone and Emery Sullivan.
Cooper outhit Scott, 12-7 scoring six runs off five Scott errors while allowing just one unearned run off one error. Furnish, Ava Scott, Scroggie and Stone had two hits each. Scroggie led the Jaguars with three runs batted in with Ava Scott and Milburn driving in two each. Furnish, Stone, Ava Scott and Milburn all had doubles.
“I’ve always been told hits are contagious and I truly believe that when the other end of the dugout got hyped, we were just locked in,” Stone said. “We were just ready to put up a fight against them. (Coach Scott) always tells us we have to get one percent better every day. We’re ready to go this year.”
Ten different Jaguars scored runs. Milburn led the way with three runs with Sullivan and Ava Scott scoring two each.
Taylor Nevels (2-0) started and earned the win for Cooper overcoming seven walks. Nevels pitched into the fourth inning before Lily Spraker finished the game after Nevels walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth and limited the damage to just two runs before Cooper scored six in the top of the fifth to make the final score.
“We don’t have a lot of room for error like we may have had in the past so we have to play pretty tight defense,” Coach Scott said. “We have to make the plays we can. We have to take advantage of those opportunities. Pitchers have to hit spots. When we do that, we’re fine. But if we get away from that, we’ll find ourselves in trouble.”
Emerson Morman led Scott at the plate going 2-for-3 with two stole bases. Ivy Cochran batted in two to go with two stolen bases and Addyson Riley also stole two bases.
“I think at this point, they need to focus more and one of the things that we’re trying to change here as far the culture goes is they need to believe in themselves,” Scott first-year head coach Randy Warren said. “They believe in themselves as long as they’re winning, but as soon as there is adversity, that’s when they quit believing in themselves. There is a lot of talent in this school.”
Riley gave the Eagles their first lead in the bottom of the first at 1-0 stealing home while Morman stole second on a successful double steal. Scott took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third when Cochran walked and ultimately scored when sister Scarlett Cochran hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
Riley agreed plays like that will help keep pushing the Eagles in the right direction. Riley is one of three juniors on the roster that brought in a lot of experience from last season that saw Scott make it to the 10th Region Tournament for the first time since 2019.
“I think you have to put things behind you. You can’t dwell on (negative plays) and let them spiral us down,” Riley said. “The encouragement everyone gives (teammates) after will pick them up and make them feel better. Everyone is going to make mistakes. You have to move on and keep staying in the game.”
Cooper (5-3) hosts Lakota East (Ohio) on Friday at 5 p.m.
Scott (4-2) takes on Allen County-Scottsville on Friday at 9 p.m. at Bath County.
JAGUARS 14, EAGLES (5 innings)
COOPER — 010-76 — 14-12-1
SCOTT — 101-20 — 4-7-4
2B — (C) Ava Scott, Furnish, Milburn, Stone
WP — Nevels (2-0). LP — Scribner (2-1)
Records: Cooper 5-3, Scott 4-2