Barren County jumped out to an early lead with four runs in the first inning and got five shutout innings from Alissa Hampton in the pitcher’s circle to pick up an 8-3 win over Metcalfe County in a rain-soaked game on Wednesday afternoon.

Picking up a 4-0 lead in the first inning was a big plus for the Trojanettes, who had a shuffled lineup for a variety of reasons in Wednesday’s game.

“I think it was key for us because we had some different players on the field,” Barren coach Angie Vaughn said. “We had some of our seniors up there at the academic awards night and (Jessica) Jones was sick, and we had Chloe Caudell out. We had several different players on the field and I think it was big for us to kind of help us relax there by getting that lead in the first inning.”

Jessica Smith and Amber Chapman led the inning off with back-to-back singles. Courtney Thomas reached on an error as Smith and Chapman scored to give the Trojanettes a 2-0 lead. Thomas stole second and moved to third on Katie Crews’ ground out. Thomas scored on Emili Brown’s sacrifice fly for a 3-0 advantage.

Shelby Houchens then doubled with nobody on and two outs. Houchens moved to third on Molly Bellamy’s single and scored on an error on the play, the Lady Hornets’ second of the inning, to give the Trojanettes a 4-0 lead.

Barren got its fifth run in the third inning. Brown got aboard with a two-out double. She moved to third on Houchens’ singled and scored on an errant throw to extend the lead to 5-0.

The Trojanettes tacked on three more runs in the fifth to take an 8-0 lead.

And then the rains came. Hailey Vernon, who came in after five shutout innings by Alissa Hampton, threw three pitches to her first batter in the top of the sixth inning before a brief rain delay halted the game. Rain continued throughout the rest of the game.

After the brief rain delay, Metcalfe’s first batter walked and Kara Reese reached on an infield single to put two runners aboard. Christie Jewell’s double plated a pair of runs to cut the lead to 8-2. Tayler McMurtrey drove in Jewell with a ground out to set the score at 8-3.

“Hailey Vernon, I’ve stuck her out there in two really tough situations back to back,” Vaughn said. “We probably should have called the game before we did. It was getting a little dangerous out there. I think it probably did have a little bit of an effect, but we can’t use that as an excuse there to give up three runs in that inning.”

Hampton tossed five shutout innings, giving up just two singles to Brittany Burton, to pick up the win. She struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.

“It was probably her best performance of the year,” Vaughn said. “She’s starting to look a little more relaxed out there and comfortable in that starting role when she gets the opportunity. And she did a really nice job tonight keeping their hitters off-balanced.”

Vernon entered the game in the rain-soaked sixth inning and gave up three runs on three hits in two innings of work. She struck out three and walked two.

Burton went the distance and gave up just two earned runs (eight total) to take the loss. She struck out two, walked one and also hit a batter.

Chapman, Houchens and Bellamy had two hits a piece in Barren’s eight-hit attack. Houchens and Bellamy both went 2-for-3, while Chapman had a 2-for-4 day at the plate. Chapman, Thomas and Houchens scored two runs each.