Big day, big night in Newton County

By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
April 18, 2003
DECATUR Newton County opened its best-of-three second round Class 3A fast-pitch series with Purvis with a 13-3 win Thursday afternoon.
Odds are, it later took many of the Lady Cougars longer to get ready for Thursday night's Junior-Senior Prom than it did to play the game.
Newton County improved to 25-4, while Purvis fell to 10-7.
The game, which took an hour and 22 minutes, saw Joy Cavenaugh (10-1) toss her second straight playoff no-hitter. Walks came back to haunt the junior righty as she issued nine free bases to go with nine strikeouts.
The Lady Cougars had activity in their bullpen on several occasions, but Cavenaugh always got the crucial out to stay on the mound.
All three Purvis runs initially reached base on walks. Newton County also committed two errors.
Purvis took a 2-0 lead in the top of first as Brianna Ladner and Rebecca Cox walked and eventually scored without a hit. Ladner walked in each of her four plate appearances.
Newton County tallied twice in the bottom of the first to draw even. Kristin Chaney was hit by a pitch, stole second and continued to third when the throw from catcher Laura Lee Hillman went into center field.
Dominique Mapp was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored on a sacrifice by Jennifer Smith.
Smith led the Lady Cougar offense, going 2-for-3 with five RBIs.
Smith ripped a three-run double in the second inning. Jessica Sheehan and Obreisha Davis started the rally with one-out singles. Kristin Chaney and Suzanne Chaney reached on consecutive errors with Mapp forcing in a run with a bases-loaded walk.
Smith then ripped a bases-clearing double to put Newton County up 7-2. Courtesy runner Lindsey Little scored on Shelly Ferguson's ground out for a six-run lead.
Purvis got to within 8-3 in the top of the fourth as Heather Judah walked and crossed the plate on an error on Erin Anderson's grounder.
Smith threw out one runner trying to steal second in the frame.
Newton County tallied once in the bottom of the fourth as Kristin Chaney singled, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and came home on a ground out by Suzanne Chaney.
Ferguson and Holly Jackson opened the bottom of the fifth with infield hits and scored on a double by Sheehan for an 11-3 lead.
The Lady Cougars closed out the game in the sixth as Suzanne Chaney walked and came home on a double steal following a walk by Mapp.
Smith tripled to right-center to drive in Mapp for the final run.
Purvis starter Emileigh Robinett took the loss, failing to last through the second inning.
The series resumes Saturday at Purvis with a 3 p.m. start.