Sarah Franco had another masterful evening, striking out 15 and limiting the Puckett Lady Wolves to just one hit in a 5-0 win Tuesday at Bazinsky Park.

Providing the offense was seventh grader Mallory McGuffee, who stroked a two-run double in the first inning and then scored again in the third to account for four of St. Aloysius’ five runs. The Lady Flashes (11-4, 7-0) took another step toward winning their second straight division crown and can finish it off with a win Thursday over Stringer at Bazinsky Park.

“We’ve got one more with Stringer and a win there gives us the division,” Franco said. “We want to stay undefeated.”

The loss for Puckett (6-7, 3-2) broke a second place tie the Lady Wolves had with Stringer, whose only loss is a 4-2 decision to St. Al. After Thursday’s game with St. Al, Stringer still has two to play against Puckett.

“That was only their second loss in the division. We’re 7-0 with one left,” St. Al coach Gene Rogillio said. “Sarah had another great game, but this was the first time this year she had two walks in a row.”

Franco issued the free passes to start the Puckett fifth inning. She then struck out the next three batters to end the threat. The only hit was a two-out single to Courtney Rhodes.

“It was a pretty good game,” Franco said. “My rise ball was not that good, it was more of a curve ball that was going high.”

McGuffee continued her hot hitting with her first inning double that scored Franco and Catelyn Park for a 2-0 lead. Despite being in her first year of varsity ball as a seventh grader, McGuffee is one of the more seasoned players in Warren County.

“I play on Tony Lassiter’s tournament team,” the 13-year-old McGuffee said. She plays with Lassiter’s Mississippi Elite, a 14-year-olds’ travel team. “We played over 100 games last summer.”

Senior Taylor George drove McGuffee in with a fly out in the first and then knocked her in again in the third with a single to right field. It was the last of five hits Puckett starter Amber Freeman gave up in taking the loss.