Lady Knights win opener

By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
August 7, 2004
UNION It took a few innings, but the battle of defending state champions lived up to its billing Friday night at Laird Park as West Lauderdale took a 16-11 slow-pitch win over Union.
The teams combined for 44 hits in the season opening game.
West, the defending Class 3A state champion, hammered 14 of its 25 hits in the first three innings to jump out to a 10-0 lead.
Union, the defending Class 1A state titleholder, put up 18 of its 19 hits over the third, fourth, fifth and sixth frames to rally to within 12-11.
Herrington went 0-for-5, reaching on a pair of errors and scoring twice, but was a defensive whiz at shortstop. She had six assists and three putouts.
Six Lady Knights had three hits apiece. Kayla Eubanks had two singles, a triple and three RBIs. She also scored four runs. Katie McAlister had two singles, a double and three RBIs. Winning pitcher Sommer Jones had three singles and two RBIs. Brooke Lee had three singles and two RBIs. Sara Havard and Morgan Gullette both had three singles.
Josie Mathews, Kristi Lantz,and Ashley Helms each had two hits for West (1-0).
Loren Kennedy went 4-for-4 to lead Union (0-1). She had three singles, a double and scored a pair of runs. Tiffany Thomas had two singles and drove in three runs. Morgan Breland had three singles. Losing pitcher Chasity Yates, Deann Cleveland, Brittany Germany and Amber Smith each had two hits with one of Germany's being a triple.
After rallying to within 12-11 with three runs in the bottom of the sixth, Union spotted the Lady Knights four insurance runs in the top of the seventh. The Lady Jackets went down in order in the bottom of the seventh.
Seniors committed six errors for Union, and West took advantage in the early going as six of the Lady Knights' first seven runs were unearned.
The teams meet again tonight at 7 in Collinsville.