Shadyside's Arianna Saxton delivers to the plate Tuesday against Linsly at the Mead Township Park Complex in Tiger Town. The Cadets eked out a 1-0 win over the hosts.

SHADYSIDE – Using another brilliant pitching effort from Baeleigh Burwell, solid defense and a clutch hit, Linsly extended its winning streak to six in softball action Tuesday night.

Burwell struck out 10 and scattered three hits – two in the bottom of the seventh – and the Cadets (6-4) picked off runners in the sixth and seventh innings to preserve a 1-0 shutout at the Mead Township Park Complex.

“Pitching and defense. Pitching and defense,” Linsly head coach Paul Recrosio stressed of his team’s effort. “We’ve got to make better adjustments at the plate … I think we only had a few hits, but we made them count and moved the runners when we needed to.

“For two years now we’ve stressed defense. Tonight it paid off for us,” he added with a smile.

With his team clinging to its 1-0 lead, Shadyside got its leadoff runner on base following the lone error of the game. With the meat of its order due up, the runner broke for second and stopped and was caught in a rundown.

Then, in the seventh after shortstop Gia Recrosio snared a bullet off the bat of Gentry Brown for the first out, Bella Honeywell coaxed a walk and was replaced by a pinch-runner. With the count 0-1 on Mady Violet, Linsly’s left-handed catcher Alayna Cook rifled a strike to first baseman Brooke Edge who applied the tag for the much-needed pickoff and second out.

Violet then looped a single to right-center, but Burwell got a groundout to seal the deal.

“That was huge,” Coach Recrosio said. “Alayna made a perfect throw for Brooke to apply the tag.”

The game’s only tally came in the top of the fifth when pinch-hitter Sophia Monk lined a one-out single to left. She advanced to second and third on back-to-back wild pitches from Shadyside starter Arianna Saxton. No. 9 hitter Grace Landini bunted for a base hit as Monk held at third. The Tigers would change pitchers as Taylor Fulton came out from behind the plate and recorded a popup for the second out. However, Gia Recrosio’s single up the middle easily plated Monk for a 1-0 reading.

“Our two pitchers did a great job. They did their part,” first-year Shadyside head coach Robert Gorrell Jr. said of Saxton and Taylor Fulton who combined on a five-hitter. “We made some plays when we had to, but in a close game like that, you can’t make any mistakes and we did twice on the bases at crucial times.

“Overall, I thought we played well, as did Linsly,” he added. “That’s the type of softball game that everyone wants to see. Sometimes you end up on the top side and sometimes you don’t.”

“Baeleigh has been consistent all season for us. She kept her composure and didn’t back down from any of their hitters,” Recrosio said of his junior ace in the circle. “She got in a little trouble there in the last inning, but she dug deep and got herself out of it.

“I’m proud of the girls. We just need to keep it rolling tomorrow.”

The Cadets return to Holloway Field on their campus to welcome undefeated Martins Ferry in a key OVAC Class 3A encounter. Linsly is currently fourth in a tightly bunched division.

Rylie Fulton doubled for Shadyside. Recrosio and Landini evenly divided four singles.

The Tigers are at home again today at 5:30 when OVAC Class 2A-leading Caldwell visits. They remain at home Thursday when Toronto comes to town for another 5:30 first-pitch. Both are key OVAC contests.