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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

VINCENT – The Chelsea Hornets scored first and never looked back in their county battle with the Vincent Yellow Jackets, scoring nine runs en route to a 9-0 shutout victory on Monday, March 4 at Vincent Middle High School.

Chelsea wasted little time scoring in the top of the first inning as Kaitlin Hopson hit a solo home run on the fourth pitch of the game to take a 1-0 lead.

A pair of singles by Hopson and Baylor McCluney in the top of the third got the Hornets back in business at the plate. Hopson then stole home plate on the next batter to increase the lead to two, and two batters later, a pair of errors in the same at-bat led to another pair of runs.

Vincent earned four hits over the next three innings, but Chelsea got out of each inning and ensured the Jackets remained without a run.

On the second pitch of the sixth inning, Sydney Carroll launched a solo shot to left to make the lead 5-0.

That was not the final home run of the game as Hopson added her second of the contest with a solo home run in the top of the seventh.

The long ball kicked off the final wave of offense from the Hornets. After an error allowed McCluney to reach base, Crews put runners on the corners for Carroll.

Once again, Carroll came up clutch with an RBI double to take the lead to seven. A fly out on the next play allowed Crews to score after tagging up, and an error during the next at-bat let Emma Parmley score the final run of the game and close out the 9-0 victory.

Claire Purkey pitched a complete-game shutout to earn the win. She racked up 12 strikeouts against five hits and no walks while not allowing a run to score.

Hopson finished the game 3-4 with three runs and two RBIs. Carroll and Crews both went 2-4 with a pair of runs apiece, and Carroll had two RBIs as well.

Chelsea will return to action on Wednesday, March 6 with a home battle with Vestavia Hills at 4:30 p.m.

Vincent’s next game is a road trip to Billingsley on Friday, March 8 at 5 p.m.