Smith tosses two-hitter for Neshoba

By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
March 15, 2002
UNION – For nearly all of Thursday afternoon's fast-pitch softball game, Neshoba Central's Lindsey Smith had Union batters tucked away in her back pocket.
The Lady Rockets used Smith's two-hitter to improve to 5-2 with a 6-3 win. Union fell to 1-5. Both teams will play in the eighth-annual Clarkdale Spring Fling today at Northeast Park.
Smith retired the Lady Jackets in order in the first, fourth, fifth, and seventh frames, striking out the side in the fifth. She finished with eight strikeouts and allowed only one ball out of the infield. Smith also issued only one walk.
The Lady Rockets got their first run in a hurry as Jessi Nowell led off the game with a triple to left field and scored on a fielder's choice by Kadye Chandler.
Neshoba took a 4-0 lead with three runs in the top of the third with four walks, a wild pitch, a passed ball, and singles by Nowell and Erin Benson doing the damage.
Union got its first run in the bottom of the third as Loren Kennedy beat out an infield hit and circled the bases when Smith's late throw to first sailed all the way into the right-field corner.
The Lady Rockets extended their lead to 6-1 with two runs in the top of the fourth. After Chandler had a two-out single and Smith drew a walk, Alana Moore drove in two runs with a single.
Lindsey Walker took the loss. She gave up six runs on six hits and six walks in four-plus innings. She struck out four. Marley Smith threw three perfect innings in relief, striking out four.
Nowell was the game's only multiple hitter as she went 2-for-4. The Lady Rockets had six hits.