While they wait, and hope, for their offense to come around, the Harlan Lady Dragons know they can count on Ashley Overbay to keep them in just about every game.

Overbay, a senior left-hander, pitched a one-hitter with 16 strikeouts and no walks as Harlan (2-1) overcame a tough night with runners on base to defeat visiting Barbourville 4-0 on Friday.

“Ashley is pitching well. She’s very comfortable for this early in the season and is throwing strikes,” Harlan coach David Overbay said.

Harlan had plenty of chances to blow the game open, leaving 13 runners on base in only six at bats. The Lady Dragons finally broke through with three runs in the fourth inning to break a string of 10 scoreless innings that stretched back to a 3-0 loss Tuesday to Williamsburg in the All “A” Classic semifinals.

“It’s early in the season, and we just have to keep working,” Overbay said. “It’s there. We just need a few key hits. They are capable of doing it, so we’re not going to panic.”

AnnMarie Bianchi and Overbay led Harlan’s 13-hit attack with a double and two singles each. Mikalyn Foutch and Savanna Smith added two hits each, with Foutch contributing a double. Haven Saylor, Payton Bennett and Kaytlin Cornett contributed one single each.

Saylor singled and Overbay doubled in the first inning, but Barbourville pitcher Autumn Hamilton retired the next two batters to escape trouble. Cornett and Bianchi had singles to open the second inning before a double play ended the threat. Foutch and Overbay had singles in the third inning before Hamilton wiggled out of trouble again.

Harlan finally broke through in the fourth inning on a two-out, two-run double past third base by Foutch after Cornett walked and Smith singled. Two Barbourville errors brought in another run.

Overbay led off the sixth inning with a single, then stole second before scoring on Bennett’s hit.

Overbay retired the first 17 Lady Tigers before Whitney Brock was safe on a two-out error in the sixth inning to end the perfect game. Grace Jones broke up the no-hitter when she hustled a hit up the middle into a double. Overbay responded with three straight strikeouts to leave Jones standed on third, preserving her second shutout of the season.

Harlan will travel to Letcher Central on Thursday. Barbourville (0-3) plays at Cordia on Saturday.

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Barbourville 000 000 0 — 0 1 4

Harlan 000 301 x — 4 13 1

Hamilton and Jones; Overbay and Cornett. WP — Overbay (2-1). LP — Hamilton.