By Staff
OUT AT THIRD
Clarkdale's Sabrina Woodall is taged out at third by Northwest Rankin's Nikki McCloskey.
PHOTO BY PAULA MERRITT / THE MERIDIAN STAR
By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
March 16, 2002
Clarkdale saved the best for last in the first day of the eighth-annual Clarkdale Spring Fling fast-pitch softball tournament Friday at Northeast Park.
The game, played with a one-hour time limit, needed three extra innings before the Lady Bulldogs knocked off Clinton 3-2 when Lindsay Dawkins singled home Emily Watson from second base with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Clarkdale, 9-4-1, took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first only to have the Lady Arrows draw even with a run in the top of the fourth just before the regulation time limit for the tournament games ran out.
Starting a runner at second base in each extra frame, neither team crossed the plate in the fifth inning. Clarkdale had the bases loaded with no outs in the bottom of the fifth, but a pop up to deep second base turned into a quick double play and wound up as a triple play when the runner at third tried to come home on the throw to first base.
Both teams got a run in the sixth with Sabrina Woodall's fielder's choice pulling Clarkdale even at 2-2.
Clinton loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh but was unable to score.
Emily Howard tossed a one-hitter for Clarkdale with Clinton's lone hit being a bunt single in the seventh.
Northwest Rankin 6
Clarkdale 1
The Lady Cougars scored three runs in the second and third innings to beat Clarkdale.
Northwest took advantage of three hits and eight walks to improve to 7-3. Beth Bilbro had a double, while Becky Robinson and Paige Lemmons both had a single.
Clarkdale, 8-4-1, had two hits a single apiece by Brandi Wright and Megan Potate.
Jennifer Johnson (7-3) got the win, striking out four and walking three.
JorD'an Orr took the loss.
Newton County 1
Mooreville 0
The Lady Cougars scored the game's only run in the top of the fourth inning. Dominique Mapp had a single to start the winning rally and moved up when Joy Cavenaugh reached on an infield error. Mapp scored from third on a wild pitch.
Mapp led Newton County, 8-1, with a pair of singles. The Lady Cougars' only other hit was a single by Betsy Clark.
Mooreville got a single apiece by Anna Woolven, Candy Shumpert, and Liz Woolven.
Enterprise 4
Union 1
Amanda Parker (2-0) tossed a two-hitter as Enterprise improved to 2-4.
Leading 1-0, the Lady Bulldogs picked up their second run in the top of the second as Charly Speed's sacrifice fly scored Morgan Robinson who had walked. Enterprise received six walks in the game.
Enterprise turned a double play to kill a Union scoring threat in the bottom of the second.
Shannon Creel singled to start a two-run top of the third for the Lady Bulldogs.
Union got its lone run in the bottom of the fourth as Marley Smith singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Lauren White.
Smith and Lindsey Cassel each had a single for Union's two hits as the Lady Jackets dropped to 1-6. Cassel was the losing pitcher.
Creel's single was Enterprise's only hit.
Kosciusko 1
Neshoba Central 0
Kosciusko got the game's only run in the bottom of the fourth. The Lady Whippets loaded the bases with no outs. A fielder's choice with one out plated the lone run. Kristen Lawrence (3-0) got the win for Kosciusko, 3-0, striking out six and walking one while allowing only one hit, a single by Lindsey Smith. Kadye Chandler took the loss for the Lady Rockets, 5-3. She struck out four, walked three, and gave up two hits.
East Central 3
Harrison Central 0
East Central's Stephanie Comeaux struck out the first seven batters she faced to lead East Central. Comeaux finished with 10 strikeouts.
in the five-inning contest.