pair of area

games to Trojans

By Kevin Taylor

The Greenville Tiger softball team dropped its third in a row after being swept by area foe Charles Henderson at the Greenville Softball Complex on Monday.

The Tigers tried to break out of the skid on Tuesday at Highland Home, but results were not available by presstime.

Greenville (5-18) dropped the first game of the doubleheader 9-0 to the visiting Trojans and then saw a 4-1 lead disappear and fall6-5.

The sweep marked the first time this season that the Tigers have dropped an area contest. So now at 3-2, Greenville is second in the area and would draw the No. 2 seed in the upcoming sectional tournament May 7.

Tigers coach Donna Sunnycalb said the losses on Monday came down the lack of execution.

"We can be up 10 runs and blow it because we don't execute," Sunnycalb said.

In Game 2, Greenville was up three runs and saw their lead disappear thanks to a four-run fifth inning by Charles Henderson.

The Trojans (24-10) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Allie Park's sacrifice fly drove home Clair Goodson.

While the Tigers scattered eight hits in the game, Kendra Mitchell's one swing of the bat gave Greenville its only lead of the day.

Mitchell clear ed the bases in the bottom of the inning with a three-RBI triple that reached the left-center field fence to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead. Mitchell then scored on a wild pitch to increase Greenville's lead.

But errors came back to bite the Tigers.

Charles Henderson drew to within two runs in the top of the third inning when Ashton Spann scored on a RBI single from Heather Snell. Spann reached base on a fielding error by the Tigers. It was their second error in the inning.

The Trojans recaptured the lead in the fifth inning when they scored four runs. Two of the four runs crossed the plate because of a fielding error.

"It's not like we haven't been in a situation that our kids have not seen before," Sunnycalb said. "We can't afford to make simple mistakes this late in the season and expect to win."

Greenville trimmed Charles Henderson's lead to one run when Brittany

White scored on Tara Gibson's RBI single beyond the Trojan third baseman's reach. White reached base on a single to left field.

After holding the Trojans scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Tigers had the tying run on third base with two out, but the comeback attempt was thwarted when Amanda Wright grounded out to second base.

Wright singled up the middle with one out. She moved to second on a groundout by Halie Burnette and then reached third on a wild pitch.

"I'm disappointed we especially lost that second game," Sunnycalb said. "This deep into the season, we should not be making the simple mistakes we have. It seems like every time we take one step forward, we follow by taking two steps back."

Greenivlle managed just a couple hits in Game 1 before falling to the Trojans, 9-0.

The Tigers had a hard time making routine plays, while Charles Henderson scattered eight hits.