SHS run cut short
Published 11:59 pm Monday, April 6, 2009
The No. 3 Straughn Lady Tigers finished in 3rd place at the Andalusia Hit Your Own Balls softball tournament on Saturday, losing to Wetumpka 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the loser’s bracket.
Straughn started the day with an 8-0 win over Red Level and in the next game, defeated Enterprise 3-1.
In their third game of the day, the Lady Tigers (16-6, 1-0 in Class 3A, Area 3) faced Dothan and lost 2-1.
“We competed and had an opportunity there in that last game (against Wetumpka),” Straughn coach Ray Wilson said. “We had several opportunities when we had runners on. I think we had bases loaded and one out and didn’t get a run out of it. When you’re playing somebody as good as Wetumpka, you’ve got to take advantage of those opportunities.”
Wetumpka 6, Straughn 3
The Lady Tigers scored their only three runs in the third inning when Tiffany Taylor hit a two-run single to bring in Kaitlynn Wiggins and Kayla Messer.
Both Wiggins and Messer reached on singles.
Straughn scored its last run when Tori Bracewell hit an RBI single to score Kayla Teel.
Wetumpka jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning and then scored two runs in the fourth and three in the sixth.
Wilson said the team played well on “defense” Saturday.
“We played well defensively all day,” he said. “I thought we pitched well. We just played some real good teams.”
One thing that Wilson learned Saturday was that his team is in need of improved hitting.
“We still have to improve on our hitting,” Wilson said. “A lot of times the pitcher you’re facing has a lot to do with that. We still need to improve on that as a team. I was proud of the way we competed and beat Enterprise who had already beaten us once this year. I thought we came ready to play today, but we got beat by some really good teams.”
Wetumpka 1, Pleasant Home 0
In other action Saturday, the No. 1 Pleasant Home Lady Eagles started out losing to Greenville 4-2, but came back to win the next two games against Luverne (6-2) and Red Level (14-0).
In the final game for the Lady Eagles, Wetumpka kept it at a 0-0 ball game all the way until the sixth inning when they scored their only run to knock Pleasant Home out of the tournament.
“We just stunk it up,” Pleasant Home coach Jimmy Reeves said of the loss to Wetumpka. “We didn’t hit the ball very good. Gina Davis pitched a great game. She only gave up a run in the bottom of the sixth on a triple. Gina had scattered their hits up until that time when the girl tripled in the sixth and scored.”
Pleasant Home 6, Luverne 2
Pleasant Home’s Erin Byrd doubled in the first inning and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Brittany Ward.
In the second inning, Megan Cook singled, Kati Reeves doubled to score Cook.
Later in the fourth inning, Reeves singled and scored on a ground out from Robin Weaver.
In the sixth inning Weaver walked and scored on a hit from Erin Byrd.
Ward singled and Shanda Martin doubled to score Ward.
Reeves later singled to score Martin to win the game.
The winning pitcher was Brentin Fuller who allowed two hits, two runs and had four strikeouts.
Pleasant Home 14, Red Level 0
Erin Byrd was 3-for-4 with two runs, Megan Coook was 3-for-3 with two runs; and Kayla Woods was 2-for-2 with one run.
Emily Byrd was the winning pitcher and allowed one hit and had four strikeouts.
Andalusia came out with a 2-2 record Saturday defeating Luverne 3-1 and Enterprise 2-0.
The Lady Bulldogs lost to Dothan 11-0 and Wetumpka 9-1.
Straughn will host Andalusia today in junior varsity and varsity action. Play starts at 4 p.m. with junior varsity.