The Atmore Christian School Lady Rams hurt themselves with poor pitching and errors in a 12-6 loss Friday to Central Christian.

Pitcher Karrie Hillburn struggled in the loss, allowing 10 base runners due to walks and hit batsmen that led to six runs for the Lady Saints.

“If she was going to have a game in which she wasn’t solid I’m glad she had it now and not in the tournament,” coach Tim Battles said of his ace pitcher.

ACS got its first runner on base with a Hillburn single with two outs in the bottom of the first inning. The two previous hitters, Kaylynn Swartzendruber and Grace Kilcrease were thrown out at first. Gracie Koon struck out to end the inning.

An error and a one-out double allowed Central to score again to take a 2-0 lead. Hillburn struck out a batter and hit one to load the bases before getting out of the inning.

A leadoff single by Lauren Metzler and a walk for Charity Hall put the Lady Rams in business in the bottom of the second.

Bailey Spann was thrown out at first, but the sacrifice groundball was enough to advance both runners into scoring position. A Kelsey Baker single scored Metzler to cut the lead to 2-1.

Mary-Catherine Cooper struck out, but an error during the next at-bat allowed Hall and Baker to score. Swartzendruber took first. Kilcrease singled during the next at-bat and scored Swatzendruber from first to give ACS a 4-2 lead.

Battles said his team hit well in the game, especially in the second inning. The Lady Rams hit .241 for the game.

“We did pretty well with getting on base,” Battles said. “We scored with the bottom of the lineup in the second. It was good that they got the ball rolling.”

Battles commended Kilcrease on her hitting, for the game and recently. She’s 11 of her last 14, he said.

A walk and a single started things off for the Lady Saints in the top of the third. An error allowed a Central runner to score to cut the ACS lead to 4-3. A fielder’s choice scored another Central run, but gave the Lady Saints two outs in the inning.

A hit batsmen and a steal, put a Lady Saints runner in scoring position with two outs. Another Lady Rams’ error loaded the bases, but Hillburn forced a groundout during the next at-bat to get out of the jam.

Coon was walked to leadoff the bottom of the third for the Lady Rams. Metzler struck out and Hall hit into a fielder’s choice that forced Coon out at second. Spann hit a groundout to end the inning.

Two errors and a steal put runners on first and second for the Lady Saints in the top of the fourth before a bunt single loaded the bases. Three Central runs were scored with a fielder’s choice during the next at-bat and a single during the following at-bat before ACS forced two more outs to end the threat.

Baker popped out and Cooper struck out to start off the bottom of the fourth for the Lady Rams. Swartzendruber singled during the next at-bat and stole second before scoring on a double by Kilcrease to cut the lead to 7-5. Hillburn was thrown out at first to end the frame.

Central scored two more runs in the top of the fifth to take a 9-5 lead before the Lady Rams’ side of Coon, Metzler and Hall were retired in order in the bottom of the inning.

Hillburn walked two straight batters to start the top of the sixth. An error later scored a run, giving Central a 10-5 lead. Two passed balls and a fielder’s choice allowed two Lady Saints’ runners to score to make it 12-5.

The side of Spann, Baker and Cooper was retired in order in the bottom of the sixth. Hillburn retired three Lady Saints in order and picked up two more strikeouts for the game in the top of the seventh.

The Lady Rams’ Swartzendruber singled to leadoff the bottom of the inning. Kilcrease struck out and Hillburn hit a groundball that advanced Swartzendruber into scoring position.

Coon doubled to score Swartzendruber and cut the Central lead to 12-6, but the Lady Rams couldn’t get any more runs across.