Precision Auto makes major move in Midway Standings

What felt like a potential championship preview at the start of the night turned into a statement win for Precision Auto Machine Tuesday at Midway.

With first place on the line in the girls senior league, Precision Auto Machine pounded Fuston's Nursery 30-13, breaking a tie atop the standings and strengthening its grip on the league lead. The teams had split their first two meetings, but there was little doubt about the better team on this night as Precision Auto Machine's lineup erupted after an early exchange of blows.

The offensive fireworks started immediately.

Precision Auto Machine plated eight runs in the top of the first, getting an inside-the-park homer from Katie Bechtel and a scorching hit from Izzy Pitts, who would finish the night without making an out.

Fuston's Nursery answered with its own barrage in the bottom half.

Brooke Kesey sparked a 10-run inning with an inside-the-park homer, while Abby and Anna Graves kept the rally moving. Harper Fuston and Kori Maddox added key hits as Fuston's Nursery briefly surged in front and showed why the matchup featured the league's top two teams.

The lead didn't last long.

Precision Auto Machine chipped away with three runs in the second before breaking the game open in the third.

Ansley Guess delivered the biggest blow of the inning, racing around the bases for a three-run inside-the-park homer after a drive to left skipped past a pair of outfielders. Another hit from Trinity Young helped the lineup turn over and, at that point, there was no stopping the onslaught.

Sabella Martin and McKenna Bouldin kept the pressure on with hard-hit balls to the outfield, while Pitts and Bechtel continued piling up runs. Annabelle Cripps joined the home run parade later in the inning, circling the bases on an inside-the-park blast as the lead quickly reached double digits.

Fuston's Nursery briefly slowed the momentum in the fourth. Ella Kesey singled and later scored before Henslea Carter delivered a two-out, two-run single to help her team avoid the run rule.

Any hopes of a comeback disappeared in the fifth.

Bechtel ripped a two-run triple, Pitts added another two-run single and Precision Auto Machine continued to stack runs until the gap became insurmountable.

Bechtel finished the night hitting for the cycle as Precision Auto Machine improved to 6-2 and secured sole possession of first place heading into the final week of June.

Fuston's Nursery dropped to 5-3, where it is now tied with the Dugout Divas for second place. The Dugout Divas earned their fifth victory Tuesday by defeating SKG Farms, which fell to 0-8.

The race for the top seed isn't over yet.

Precision Auto Machine and the Dugout Divas are scheduled to meet next Tuesday at 6 p.m. in a game that could determine first place, while Fuston's Nursery will look to bounce back against SKG Farms at 8 p.m. that same night.