With the Yadkin Valley Conference leaders East Montgomery coming to town, the North Moore softball team had a chance pull into a tie for first place with a win over the Lady Eagles Friday.

But a couple of missed opportunities by the Lady Mustangs sent them to their second conference loss of the season by a 9-3 score.

“The key to game was the fifth inning,” said North Moore coach Sammy McNeill, whose team falls to 2-2 in league play and 5-3 overall. “We had scored two runs and had two runners on base with no outs and the middle of our (batting) order up and didn’t score. We weren’t patient at the plate and that costs us. Our hitting was terrible, we were facing a pitcher that throws the ball right down the middle about the same speed as pitching machine and we don’t hit.

“They’re a good hitting team and we knew that going in. There coach (Jennifer Fountain) is doing a good job and has them playing well. The folks up in Montgomery County should be proud of her.”

Ashley Davis was the starting pitcher for the Mustangs, going the distance, allowing 12 hits while Meghan Johnson was the starter for the Eagles, striking out two batters, waking two and giving up seven hits.

In the pivotal fifth inning, the Mustangs were trailing 5-1 when Casey Turner and Holly Martindale led off the inning with back-to-back walks. Then Holly Green hit the ball back to the pitcher and Johnson tried to make a play at second and the throw got by the second baseman, allowing Turner to score.

Gwen Steslicke followed with a single into the gap in left-center field, scoring Martindale, putting runners at the corners with no outs. The next three batters flied out, ending the threat with the Mustangs trailing 5-3.

The Eagles (5-0 YVC, 7-1) got on the scoreboard first in the top of the opening inning when East catcher Madison Crisco hit a sharp grounder down the third-base line for a single. Megan Sheffield followed with a single into right field. Crisco scored on a grounder hit by Samantha Stewart.

The Mustangs tied the score in their half of the first inning when Steslicke led off with a shot down the left-field line that got by the left fielder, allowing Steslicke to make it to third base. Steslicke scored on a single by Heather Dunmyer, tying the score at one run each.

The Eagles jumped out front in the second inning when Madison Chappell led off with a home run over the left-field fence. Then Lindsey Dunn lined a single into left field and scored later on a double by Delana Hinson, putting East up 3-1. The Eagles added a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning on three hits, while taking advantage of the Mustangs’ lone error of the game for a 5-1 lead.

The Mustangs closed the gap to two runs before the Eagles added one run in the sixth inning and three more in the seventh frame for a 9-3 lead. East scored its three runs in the seventh inning on a pair of doubles and two singles.

The Mustangs finished with six hits, with Steslicke having a single and a triple while teammates, Jessie Sheffield, Julie Williams, Kasi Martin, and Green had one single each. Steslicke and Sheffield came up with some outstanding plays on defense for the Mustangs.

For the Eagles, Chappell had a home run and double while Hinson and Crisco finished with one double and one single each.

The Mustangs travel to West Montgomery Tuesday for a conference contest. The game is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.