By By Richard Dark/The Meridian Star
May 18, 2001
KISSIMMEE, Fla. It's amazing the difference a few hours makes.
After stumbling through an opening 6-1 defeat at the hands of St. Louis Meramec CC, the Lady Eagles looked like a beaten team, even if their words didn't lend to that thinking.
Catcher Ashleigh Hicks echoed the sentiments of her pitcher, Amy Adcox, after the loss.
Second baseman Nicole Jones took issue with what the team perceived as short fences that they believed were too far in.
The height of the plastic netting is barely three feet. In the opening contest Auriel Jenkins had to bend over and reach out to rob a Magic player of a home run.
But after the win over the Seminoles, none of those issues were relevant.
Defending champs in trouble: Top seed Utah Valley State was sent to the loser's bracket with a 4-2 loss in nine innings to the team with the worst record in the tournament, Abraham Baldwin (Ga.) College. The Fillies (32-20) had a chance to wrap up the Lady Wolverines in regulation, but leading by one in the bottom of the seventh, ABAC's pitcher Jackie Moore dropped an easy infield fly ball that would have ended it.
Knierim alleges dirty play: St. Louis Meramec CC, which defeated MCC in Thursday's early game, won its second contest against Midland (Tx.) CC to stay in the winner's bracket.
But it wasn't without Magic losses.
The Magic lost two players on similar plays, one with a ripped up arm and the other to a sprained ankle.
Veteran Magic head coach Celeste Knierim said both were dirty plays on the part of the Lady Chaps.
We're not in Florida anymore, Toto: Kissimmee was unkind to the state of Kansas on Day One. First round departures included Seminole (Okla.) State CC (63-11), Johnson County (Kan.) CC (47-10), Cowley Cty (Kan.) (42-6) and Briarcliffe (NY.) College (40-17).
Richard Dark is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. You can call him at 693-1551, ext. 3234 or E-mail him at rdark@themeridianstar.com.