By By Marty Stamper / staff writer
Sept. 3, 2004
PHILADELPHIA Life at the top can be tough.
Clarkdale nearly got knocked from its lofty perch in its first time out as the state's No. 1 slow-pitch softball team as the Lady Bulldogs escaped Burnside Park with a 12-11 Division 5-2A win over Philadelphia Thursday night.
Clarkdale led 10-3 after 3 1/2 innings, but had to throw one runner out at the plate and another out at first base from shallow right field in the seventh inning to remain undefeated.
Each Clarkdale batter had at least one hit as the Lady Bulldogs totaled 22 hits. Right fielder Chassidy Roberts went 4-for-5, while Kim Seale, second baseman Sabrina Woodall, and right-center fielder Lauren Robinson each had three hits. Robinson had three RBIs. Ashley Bye had a pair of hits, including a three-run homer, in driving in four runs. Savannah Satcher and Paige Sheppard also had two hits each.
Clarkdale went up 7-1 with five runs in the top of the second inning. Bye had a three-run blast to left-center and Satcher and Roberts both had RBI singles.
Philadelphia cut into a 10-3 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. The big hit was a two-run single by Shenique Brass.
Trailing 12-6, the Lady Tornadoes got four runs in the bottom of the sixth with two coming home on a single by Jillian Sparnecht.
Philadelphia's first four batters reached base in the bottom of the seventh with Brass nearly ending the game when her long fly ball off the fence in right-center barely missed being a three-run homer. The hit scored Candace Griffin, but Robinson hit Woodall, who then fired to catcher Tessa Gamble in time to nail Tiara Logan at the plate for the first out.
After a fly out, Shelby Smith's grounder made it through the infield, but Roberts fired to first base in time for the final out.
Philadelphia had 19 hits with Logan going 4-for-5 and scoring three runs. Brass was 4-for-5 with four RBIs. Griffin, Shenese Hunter, Smith, Sparnecht, and Erin Breland each had two hits. Smith had three RBIs.
Clarkdale improved to 11-0 overall and 2-0 in 5-2A. Philadelphia fell to 8-6 and 1-1.