By By Marty Stamper / staff writer
Oct. 17, 2004
UNION Just like last year, Sebastopol forced a third game with Union in their Class 1A slow-pitch softball playoff series and just like in 2003 Union came away with the victory to advance to the South State finals.
Union snapped a 2-2 tie with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 5-2 win in the rubber game of the series.
Union improved to 26-7, while Sebastopol finished 23-6 as Lady Bobcats' head coach Truman Moore closed out his career.
Union cruised to an 11-0 five-inning win in the opener before Sebastopol evened the series with a 6-4 win in the second game.
The sixth inning of the final game started harmless enough as the Lady Bobcats retired the first two batters before pinch hitter Megan Lancaster drew a walk. Morgan Milling followed with a single. Loren Kennedy, who had flown out to leave the bases loaded in the fourth, singled to right-center with two runs scoring when her ball was misplayed. Kennedy, who took third on the play, scored on a single by Amechia Hickmon for a 5-2 lead.
Hickmon erased a 2-0 Sebastopol lead with a two-run homer to left-center in the bottom of the first.
Kayla Wilson's two-run single gave the Lady Bobcats a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Milling, Kennedy, Hickmon, winning pitcher Chasity Yates (22-7), and Amber Smith each had two hits for Union.
Union had 13 hits, while Sebastopol had 10. Emily Thrash, Andie Easom, Dana Boykin, and Ashley Belk each had two singles for the Lady Bobcats. Wilson took the loss.
Sebastopol had the tieing run at the plate in the top of the seventh and stranded six baserunners over the first three innings.
In the opener, Union put up six runs on six hits and two errors in the first inning. Hickmon, Tiffany Thomas, Deann Cleveland, and Smith each had RBI singles.
Thomas had another RBI single in the second inning. Brittany Germany doubled home a run in the third with Milling's triple plating a run and another coming home on a double by Kennedy.
Cleveland had three of Union's 16 hits. Kennedy, Hickmon, Thomas, Yates, and Germany each had two hits. Union did not commit an error.
Sebastopol had five hits with Leslie Sistrunk getting a pair of singles. The Lady Bobcats made three errors.
Sebastopol played flawless defense in the second game and put up five of its six runs in the bottom of the first inning. Boykin and Belk both had an RBI single with two runs crossing the plate on a single by Brittany McDill.
Sebastopol had 10 hits with Easom getting three and McDill adding two.
Union scored all four of its runs in the top of the fourth. Cleveland and Paige Holsen had RBI singles.
After that, the Lady Bobcats shut the Lady Jackets down as they retired the last 11 batters in order.
Sebastopol added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a fielder's choice by Reaghan Mayes.
Union will go to Bogue Chitto on Tuesday. The Lady Bobcats defeated West Lincoln 5-4, 1-8, 3-2 to improve to 25-9.