Clarkdale advances to State finals

By By Mark Thornton/special to the Star
April 28, 2002
St. Aloysius proved it could go toe-to-toe with Clarkdale it was Emily Howard's left hand the Lady Flashes couldn't beat.
After winning 8-0 with a one-hitter in the opener of the best-of-three South State series, Howard pitched the final three innings of the clincher as the Lady Bulldogs (28-9-1) came back from a 9-2 deficit to win 10-9.
Clarkdale, a Class 2A power, was a heavy favorite over the 1A Lady Flashes (18-7), who are in just their third year of fast-pitch.
The underdogs looked as if they would force a deciding Game 3 at Clarkdale on Monday before eighth-grader Savannah Satcher's pinch-hit two-run triple to left-center pulled the Lady Bulldogs within a run in the seventh.
Things unraveled from there for St. Al.
Satcher tied it by beating a high throw to the plate on Casey Meador's grounder, then Meadors scored the go-ahead run on the same play after a
throw down to second went to the fence in center field. It turned out to be the costliest error of the day for St. All, which had 10 in the two games combined. Clarkdale was errorless in the opener and had five miscues in Game 2.
She said the Lady Bulldogs were never worried about being behind.
Coming back was tough for the Lady Flashes, who pounced on Clarkdale's game two starter for five hits and forced five errors in the first four innings.
But when Howard (19-4) came in, St. Al didn't get another hit or run.
struck out eight and walked three in the opener, then had two strikeouts and two walks in three inning of relief in Game 2.
Clarkdale's mistakes let St. Al build an early lead in Game 2. St. Al built a 9-2 lead in the fourth.
But Clarkdale began to chip away in the fifth. Orr, who was 5-for-8 on the
day, had an RBI single, Howard had an RBI groundout and two runs scored on
one passed ball to pull Clarkdale within three.
always tough to beat someone twice on their field. We were really fortunate
to win.
In the opener, Orr went 3-for-4, and Wright had two RBIs while Ashley
Satcher and Megan Potate also drove in runs.