Union visits Scott Central in showdown
By By Marty Stamper / staff writer
Oct. 22, 2004
DECATUR In any battle of nearly equal teams, when one steps up, the other must answer the challenge if it plans on staying in the game.
Trailing 4-0 after 31⁄2 innings in the second game of their best-of-three series for the Class 3A South State championship Thursday at Mack Fanning Softball Field, the West Lauderdale Lady Knights struck for four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to pull even.
In the big inning, Kayla Eubanks, Josie Matthews and Katie McAlister all singled to load the bases with one out. Kristi Lantz doubled to right-center to plate a pair of runs. The third run scored on a fielder's choice by Sydney Cagle and Hayley Campbell's two-out single to right field tied the game at four.
Newton County, which had nine hits through its first four frames, managed just one more hit a two-out, pinch hit single by Chelsea Pugh in the top of the seventh inning.
West (30-4) struck for two more runs in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out single to center field by McAlister to take the 6-4 win and advance to Saturday's Class 3A state championship series with Corinth at the V.A. Fields in Jackson. McAlister's hit drove in Holly Herrington and Eubanks, both of whom had singled.
Corinth (24-14) won the 3A North State with a 9-3, 4-3 sweep of Cleveland.
West had taken a 2-1 win in the first game of the series on Tuesday before rain washed out the second game with Newton County leading 2-0 and batting in the top of the second inning of the second game.
Newton County (22-14) added to its 2-0 lead when play was resumed on Thursday when Megan Munn drove in Lindsey Stevens for a 3-0 lead with a two-out single in the top of the second inning.
The Lady Cougars added another run in the third to go up 4-0. Kasie Buckley singled and scored on a single by Bettina McDougle.
Eubanks, McAlister and Campbell each had two of West's 11 hits, 10 of which came in the fourth-sixth frames.
Sommer Jones (30-4) got the win with Chassidy Smith (22-13) taking the loss.
Buckley and Melissa Robinson both two of Newton County's 10 hits.
