Draughn downs Owen in Western Highlands Conference matchup

Warlassies fall to 3-1 with home loss

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
March 19, 2022

The first Western Highlands softball contest between an Owen program that opened the season with three straight wins and conference newcomer Draughn finished figured to be a tightly contested game between a pair of teams in the midst of hot starts.

What unfolded on the home field of the Warlassies, March 18, however, was a decisive Wildcats victory. 

Owen dropped its first game of the season, falling to 3-1, while Draughn improved to 5-1 with the win. 

Defensive miscues in the first inning put the Warlassies behind by a pair of runs, while the Owen offense would go on to strand a runner on third in the bottom of the inning. The Wildcats maintained their 2-run lead through four innings, extending it with 3 runs in the fifth, picking up two runs on the first of a pair of home runs in the contest.

Draughn added a solo home run to left field in the seventh, picking up a 7-0 victory in the conference opener. The Warlassies, who averaged more than 8 runs per game through three games coming into the contest, scattered two hits and left six runners on base.

Owen will return to action at 5:30 p.m., Monday, March 21, when they travel to Erwin. The Warlassies beat the Warriors, 11-4, in their March 1 season opener.

Photos of the March 18 matchup between Owen and Draughn can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.