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Morristown East softball had one of its best offensive days of the season Friday at King Park as the Lady Hurricanes had their most hits in a game this season and tied the most runs scored. But it wasn’t nearly enough as Jefferson County racked up a 15-8 victory.

The Lady Hurricanes collected a dozen hits on the day but the Lady Patriots pounded out 15 safeties, including three home runs and scored all their runs in the first five innings in dealing East its 17th loss against a single victory. Only one other team in Lady Hurricanes history has lost more and that came in 2023 when East finished 14-19.

Kenzli Trent collected four hits to lead the Lady Patriots to their 14th win against 11 losses. Carsyn Cobbett added a pair of doubles and a home run while Bella Watson and McKaylee Hobby also homered. Kaycee Morgan and Zoey Horton chipped in two hits apiece.

MaKenzie Maness had three hits for the Lady Hurricanes while losing pitcher Jaycee Hamilton and Danika Winstead got two each. Hamilton was also hit by a pitch twice and hiked her batting average to .641.

East continued to kill itself with defensive mistakes, making six errors on the day.

Jefferson scored four times in the top of the first before East bounced back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.

However, the Lady Patriots scored four in the second to regain control.

Olivia Mottern pitched the first three innings to pick up the mound decision. She gave up seven hits and six runs while walking four, hitting two and striking out three.

Morgan came to the mound to start the fifth and allowed five hits and two runs the rest of the way.

Hamilton got the start and took the loss with Paige Horner pitching the final three frames. Hamilton gave up all the runs and 13 hits with several of the runs being unearned because of the shoddy defense.

East coach Leslie Clemmons saw some positive points in the loss. “I was really proud of the way our girls competed and responded early, especially in the first inning.

“Offensively, I thought we had some strong performances,” she added. “Paige, Jaycee, MaKenzie and Danika all contributed at the plate and we showed we can put runs together against a solid team.”

The coach went on to say, “Defensively, we didn’t play clean enough behind Jaycee and against a team like Jefferson County, those extra opportunities really hurt us. That’s something we’ll continue to focus on improving.”

Cobbett’s double and a single by Morgan were the only hits in the four-run first for Jefferson County.

East rallied as an error, a double by Maness and a walk to Taylae Brice loaded the bases. Hamilton was hit by a pitch to score the first run and Ava Combs singled in another.

McKinlee Hamilton then knocked across two more with a hit before Mottern struck out two to end the uprising.

Callie Breeden reached on an error with one out to start the Lady Patriots’ second. Trent singled and Kayli Reece had a hit to score a run before Cobbett blasted a three-run homer.

Another error cost East a run in the third but Winstead singled, moved to third on a hit by Jaelyn Valentine and scored on Horner’s safety as East rallied for two in the bottom of the frame.

Watson slugged a two-run round-tripper in the fourth to make it 11-6 and the visitors collected five hits, including another two-run shot by Hobby in the fifth.

Jaycee Hamilton and Macy Davis had hits and both scored on a hit by Winstead in the bottom of the seventh before the final batter struck out.