Valdese- There’s nothing like playing on the home field, especially for the Draughn softball team.

After taking a road loss earlier this week to Owen, the Lady Wildcats matched up with the Warlesses Thursday night and erased that loss from the history books, winning 15-5 in a six-inning affair in their 18th straight home victory at The Den.

Draughn started with a 10-2 lead after two innings until Owen scored two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth.

The Lady Wildcats responded with four fifth-inning runs, starting with a Katie Hamm solo home run followed by a Kadence Clontz single, Cydnee Deal double, and a Lindsey Hensley hit by pitch walk to load the bases.

A walk issued to Ava Aldridge brought Clontz across home plate, and Avie Helton brought home Deal on another issued walk.

A Maddie Crouch sacrifice fly brought Raygen McDaniel home for the last run of the inning.

The final run of the game was scored by Karlie Micol off a Deal RBI single, her second of the game, including a first-inning bases-loaded walk to score Crouch.

The Lady Wildcats were issued ten total walks, with Deal, Crouch, and Aldridge receiving two each.

Crouch (2 walks, run, RBI), Laney Winebarger (2 singles, run, walk), Hamm (walk, double, home run), Clontz (2 singles, 2 runs, RBI), and Deal (2 walks, 2 singles, double, 2 RBI) each had five plate appearances.

A first-inning inside-the-park grand slam from Aldridge also boosted Draughn.

Courtesy runners Micol and McDaniel also benefited from this win, scoring three runs each.

Hensley (2 singles, double, 2 RBI, walk) and Helton (2 singles, 2 RBI, walk) also contributed to the Lady Wildcats’ win.

“We challenged our ladies at practice to come out with a chip on their shoulder,” said Draughn softball coach Chris Powell. “We didn’t have a good approach at Owen. I’m proud of the way our girls bounced back and played with some aggression at the plate.”

Hamm started in the pitcher’s circle for the first 3.1 innings, striking out four Owen batters before Winebarger pitched in relief to preserve the win by striking out two.

Draughn is back on the home field again on Tuesday vs. Avery County.