By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
August 10, 2003
UNION It took the Union Lady Jackets just under 24 hours to solve half of their shortcomings from a season-opening 9-1 loss at West Lauderdale on Friday.
In Saturday's rematch, the Lady Jackets cut their errors from eight to three and gave the defending Class 3A state champion Lady Knights a serious run for their money before falling 2-1 at Laird Park.
Offense was still a problem area, however, as the Lady Jackets had just six hits for the second straight night.
Two of Union's three errors came in the first inning as West grabbed an early 1-0 lead. Kirby Rutledge reached on an error to the outfield and scored on Katie Moulds' infield error.
Union had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the third, but wasted a leadoff double by Chasity Yates.
The Lady Knights went up 2-0 in the top of the fourth. Moulds led off with a single and pinchrunner Sara Havard scored on a two-out single by winning pitcher Sommer Jones.
Union, 0-2, closed to within 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Madison Brantley hit a one-out single and took second on an error in right field. Courtesy runner Brittany Germany scored on a fielder's choice by Paige Holsen.
Of Union's six hits, Tiffany Thomas had a pair of singles.
West, 2-0, had only five hits with five different players each having one single.
The Lady Knights were unable to pad their 2-0 lead like they did in a seven-run fifth frame in Friday's win. That uprising was aided by four Union errors.