By Staff
BIG BLAST – Clarkdale's Kaylea Thrash makes solid contact, while Meridian's catcher Natalie Cole and umpire Charles Naylor look on. Clarkdale won the game at Northeast park 8-4. Photo by Carisa McCain/ The Meridian Star
By Jeff Byrd / staff writer
Aug. 28, 2002
Not even a game-ending triple play could overshadow the brilliance of Clarkdale outfielder JorD'an Orr during Tuesday night's game with the Meridian High Lady Wildcats.
Orr accounted for eight fly ball outs including at least four plays where she robbed Meridian of hits. The speedy outfielder helped keep her Lady Bulldogs in the contest until they adjusted at the plate in their third time around the order.
Clarkdale scored four times each in the sixth and seventh innings and went on to post an 8-4 win at Northeast Park. The result left both teams with 6-2 records.
Both Clarkdale head coach Rick Roberson and Meridian's Thad George raved about Orr.
About the only ball Orr didn't get to was hit in the bottom of the first inning off the bat of Erin Murphy. The ball carried deep into the outfield and went off the glove of the Clarkdale left fielder. Murphy reached third on the play. She later scored on a fly out to make it 1-0.
It stayed that way until the sixth. Meridian pitcher Hallie Pearson threw five straight scoreless innings allowing just three hits.
In between was Orr's highlight reel. She said her best catch came in the fifth that helped keep the game at 1-0.
In the sixth, Orr got the Clarkdale offense going by drawing an intentional walk.
Instead of getting the ball up, Clarkdale began hitting the ball on the ground. The result was two hits and an error. A smash that got by first base allowed Orr and Megan Potate to score two runs and put Clarkdale ahead 2-1.
Thrash singled in a run to score Emily Howard and Sabrina Woodall came around on an outfield error to make it 4-1.
Meridian got a run back in the bottom of the sixth when Ebony Ball singled and scored off a fly ball by Brittany Simmons.
Clarkdale continued its hot hitting with four runs off six hits and another costly error by Meridian. Lindsey Dawkins, Orr, Potate and Howard all reached and scored in the inning to make it 8-2.
Meridian had the top of its lineup due in the bottom half of the seventh so the added Clarkdale insurance came in handy.
Laura Bowles tripled in Erin Murphy for the Lady Wildcats and then scored on a double by Carshenna Blanks. Following a walk to Valarie Sherman, the Lady Wildcats had two on and no out.
Ashley Brown hit a shot to first which the Clarkdale first baseman snagged. She then had an easy trot to first to double off a pinch runner, before throwing over to Potate who tagged out Blanks for the third out to end the game.
Murphy went 2-for-4 and scored twice to lead Meridian. Blanks had two hits and Bowles drove in two.
Clarkdale got a 3-for-3 game from Potate. Orr was 2-for-3 with two runs. Thrash was 3-for-4 as Clarkdale ended with 14 hits.