Hardin County's Kenzie Moore throws no-hitter to knock out MCHS in Class 3A softball sectional

George Robinson
Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle

CUNNINGHAM — Montgomery Central's first state tournament hopes were dashed after Hardin County pitcher Kenzie Moore threw a no-hitter to shut out Central, 8-0, in the Class 3A sectional Saturday.

Moore threw seven innings, struck out eight and walked only one batter as she dominated the pitcher's circle to send Hardin County (17-10) to the state tournament for the first time since 2019 and only the third time overall.

Montgomery Central's Lauren Ashby scoops up the ball to try to tag a Hardin County runner attempting to steal second during their Class 3A softball sectional Saturday, May 21, 2022 in Cunningham, Tennessee.

ROSSVIEW BASEBALL:Houston advances to state after 7-1 win over Hawks

TOP PERFORMERS:Montgomery Central baseball returns to state since 2004

Sara Tilson was 2-for-3 with a pair of base hits and two RBIs while Moore added a double.

Montgomery Central (16-13) was marred by three errors that led to four Hardin County runs. Peyton Harris got the start and pitched four frames for Central. She allowed five hits and struck out five. But her team was only trailing 1-0 in the fourth inning before an errant throw over the catcher's head at home plate allowed two Hardin County runs to score.

The Lady Tigers would combine to score five runs in the sixth and seventh innings to seal it. Anna Harrison had a pair of hits and Neely Barrier and an RBI base hit and scored two runs.

Want to stay informed on the latest high school and college sports news? A subscription to The Leaf-Chronicle gets you unlimited access to the best information and updates on prep sports, Austin Peay and the ability to tap into over 200 local sites in the USA TODAY Network.

Reach sports writer George Robinson at grobinson@gannett.com or (931) 245-0747 and on Twitter @Cville_Sports.