By Staff
March 18, 2001
By Richard Dark
The Meridian Star
The 2001 Clarkdale Spring Fling wrapped up with a full Saturday of action at Northeast Park and host coach Rick Roberson of Clarkdale deemed the annual tournament that is comprised of teams from all over the state, as well as Alabama and Tennessee, a complete success.
Roberson took it a step further, if for no other reason than he could.
A pair of area teams took their respective pools and another went undefeated, as well.
Both Newton County and Clarkdale went undefeated in Pool 1 action, but the Lady Cougars had a slightly higher run differential in their four wins, thus giving them the title in their third appearance in the tournament.
Ricky Casey's Union Lady Yellow Jackets also went undefeated to take the Pool 2 crown. Pool 3 and 4 winners were East Central and Pascagoula, respectively.
Newton County: Mack Fanning's Lady Cougars took on some stiff competition, and last night's late win over Haywood, Tenn., set the tone. April Bufkin recorded the win on the hill to improve to 6-0 at that point and she did so by allowing three hits and striking out two.
Krissi Harris, who has returned to the team after suffering a knee injury in a basketball game against Southeast Lauderdale, scored the winning run in the fifth inning. She also had a double and Kristin Chaney went 2-for-3.
Newton County, 4, North Pontotoc 2: In the Lady Cougars' first game Saturday, it took a nifty effort on the mound from Suzanne Chaney in the latter innings, as NCHS rallied from a 2-0 deficit. Each team had two errors, but the Lady Cougars scattered five singles and had a two-run fifth to take the lead for good.
Newton County 9, George County 3: In the chilly night game that decided the Pool title, the Lady Cougars plated six runs in the top half of the fifth to boost their overall margin of victory. NCHS loaded the sacks with Dominque Mapp, Bufkin and Betsy Clark before Shanna Jones began sending runners in.
Chaney improved to 4-0 by allowing only three runs, while scattering five hits.
Kristin Chaney came up big at the plate again, with another two-hit effort. Clark also had a pair of hits. Fanning said he felt good that his team was able to win it because of potent offense. Newton County (11-0) faces off against division-rival Clarkdale Monday.
Clarkdale: Roberson's Lady Bulldogs finished up late Friday night action with a 6-4 win over Louisville. In that game, Lindsey Stamm had a pair of hits. Other hitters were Ashley Shelby, Emily Howard and Kaylea Thrash. CHS used a five-run second inning to surge past the Lady Wildcats.
Clarkdale 5, George County 3: With two outs against them in the first, CHS managed to plate a pair of runs en route to building a 5-0 lead over the Rebels, which they protected.
Shelby had a pair of hits and a double, while Jor D'an Orr added another double. The Lady Bulldogs won despite committing a trio of errors.
Clarkdale 10, Haywood County, Tenn. 0: The Lady Bulldogs opened up the offensive floodgates with Stamm going 3-for-3. Morgan Wright, Megan Potate and Ashley Satcher all had two hits and Orr homered in the 13-hit onslaught. The Tennessee team managed only one hit.
Union: The Lady Yellow Jackets tore up Pool 2 and took the title with ease. In the early game Saturday Casey's
Lady Jackets blitzed Ocean Springs, 13-2. A huge 10-spot in the third inning took care of the Lady Greyhounds. Lauren White blasted three hits for Union.
Union 5, Poplarville 4: In the lunchtime game, The Lady Jackets rallied from a 4-0 deficit to put down the Lady Hornets with six hits. Madison Brantley, White and Morgan Breland all reached to fuel the three-run third. The Lady Yellow Jackets triumphed despite stranding six runners.
Union 4, Moss Point 3: Casey's bunch put the wraps on the Pool by scoring in each of the first four innings, sending the Lady Tigers to defeat.
With Union holding the slim lead, junior pitcher Lindsey Cassel kept Moss Point in check in the bottom half of the fifth, allowing a one-out hit before getting the final two batters to ground out to the infield.
Northeast Lauderdale: The Lady Trojans went winless during the two-day extravaganza, but coach Tommy Gunn called it a learning experience for his young club.
Other scores in Pool 1: It was George County 5, Haywood 1; Haywood 4, Louisville 3; George County 4, North Pontotoc 1; North Pontotoc 15, Louisville 5.
Other scores in Pool 2: Poplarville 4, Moss Point 3, Ocean Springs 9, Northeast Lauderdale 4; Moss Point 5, Kosciusko 0; Ocean Springs 9, Poplarville 7; Moss Point 4, Northeast Lauderdale 2.
Pool 3: East Central 9, New Hope 0; Demopolis 3, Harrison Central 0; East Central 2, Madison Central 0; Terry 7, New Hope 1; New Hope 7, East Central 6; East Central 4, Demopolis 0; Terry 1, Demopolis 0; Madison Central 1, New Hope 0.
Pool 4: Tuscaloosa County 8, Grenada 0; Pascagoula 4, Hillcrest 1; Gautier 4, Tuscaloosa 1; Clinton 1, Hillcrest 0; Grenada 6, Gautier 2; Pascagoula 6, Tuscaloosa County. 4; Hillcrest 5, Grenada 1, Clinton 2, Tuscaloosa Cty. 0.
All-Tournament Team: Here is the Spring Fling All-Tournament Team sponsored by Sonic of North Hills Street:
East Central – Melissa Shepard; Clarkdale – Emily Howard; Newton County – April Bufkin; North Pontotoc – Ashlee Frazier; Haywood County – Sarah Tipton; Northeast Lauderdale – Raleigh Odom; Union – Marley Smith; Kosciusko – Andrea Taylor; Ocean Springs – Sierra Battle; Moss Point – Chardetta James; Madison Central – Tanelda McDonald; Terry – Michelle Lassiter; Demopolis – Christina Quinney; New Hope – Courtney Gordon; Clinton – Jill Breland; Gautier – Sonya Booker; Grenada – Jessica Malone; Pascagoula – Shanna Walters; Hillcrest – Amber Brown; Tuscaloosa County – Tara Fair.
Richard Dark is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at rdark@themeridianstar.com.