By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
August 17, 2002
DECATUR The defending Class 3A state champion Newton County Lady Cougars opened their 2002 slow-pitch softball season with a 7-0 win over Enterprise and then had to rally for a 10-9 victory over Union Friday night at Lady Cougar Field.
The Lady Cougars entered the day ranked No. 2 behind New Hope in The Clarion-Ledger's preseason poll.
In the 10-9 win over Union, Newton County led 6-0 through three innings only to find themselves trailing 9-6 heading into the bottom of the sixth.
Jennifer Smith, Obreisha Davis, Sylendria Johnson, and Lauren Barrett led off the sixth with consecutive singles with Barrett's hit driving in two runs to pull the Lady Cougars even at 9-9. Kristin Chaney, who went 7-for-7 in the two games, singled home pinch runner Lindsey Stevens for the winning run.
Union threatened in the top of the seventh with runners at second and third but was unable to score.
It was Union's second near-miss in knocking off a big-time team this fall as the Lady Jackets fell 10-7 to No. 5 West Lauderdale in their season opener.
Union threatened early, loading the bases with one out in the top of the first inning, but was unable to score. The Lady Jackets erupted for four runs in the top of the fourth and added five more in the fifth. The big hit in the fourth was a two-run triple by Lindsay Walker. Marley Smith, LaSaundra Harrison, and Madison Brantley each had RBI-singles in the fifth.
Newton County scored twice in the bottom of the first as Joy Cavenaugh's fly ball plated Holly Jackson from third and Kristin Chaney all the way from second.
The Lady Cougars tallied once in the second and three times in the third for a 6-0 lead.
Union then got nine runs on eight hits in the fourth and fifth frames.
Several Union players caught Newton County head coach Mack Fanning's attention.
Kristin Chaney went 4-for-4 with two RBIs for Newton County, 2-0. Jackson went 3-for-4. Johnson had a single and a triple, while Davis had a single and a double.
Suzanne Chaney (2-0) got the win.
Brantley went 3-for-3 for Union, 1-2. Smith, Harrison, and Thomas each had two hits. Brantley (1-2) took the loss.
Newton County outhit Union 15-14.
Newton County 7
Enterprise 0
The Lady Cougars opened their 2002 season with a shutout. Newton County had 15 hits, while the Lady Bulldogs had seven.
Newton County took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Shelly Ferguson doubled and scored on a triple by Kristin Chaney. Joy Cavenaugh made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.
The Lady Cougars added single runs in the second, third, and fourth frames. In the second, winning pitcher Suzanne Chaney (1-0) led off with a single. Obreisha Davis' two-out single made it 3-0.
In the third, Ferguson led off with a single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Dominique Mapp.
Sylendria Johnson extended the lead to 5-0 in the fourth as she singled and came home on a single by Jessica Sheehan following a double by Johnson.
The Lady Cougars got their final two runs in the fifth. Holly Jackson led off with a single and Kristin Chaney added a one-out single. Both runners scored when Cavenaugh's single was thrown into the Enterprise dugout.
Kristin Chaney went 3-for-3 with a triple for Newton County, 1-0. Ferguson had a single and a double, while Suzanne Chaney, Sheehan, and Davis each had a pair of singles.
The senior shortstop had three putouts and six assists.
Enterprise's first two batters – Shannon Creel and Britny Speed both went 2-for-3. Leslie Speed had a double.
The Lady Bulldogs, 1-1, stranded a pair of runners in the first, third, and sixth frames.