Howard prevails in Clarkdale win

By By Jamie Sullivan / staff writer
March 26, 2002
Emily Howard paced the 17-6 Clarkdale Lady Bulldogs to a 3-2 extra inning win over the 11-2 Lady Braves of South Jones Monday night at Clarkdale.
When Clarkdale head coach Rick Roberson says he thinks a game will be close, you better take heed.
South Jones head coach Bob Herrington said he felt he was out-coached.'
The Lady Bulldogs struck first in third inning, when Ashley Satcher reached first base on a passed ball strike out. JorD'an Orr also reached base, when she singled to the outfield. Howard took credit for both RBIs, when she ripped a triple to the wall, scoring both Satcher and Orr. The Lady Bulldogs kept the 2-0 lead, until the sixth inning.
Whether it be Herrington failing, or Howard prevailing, who knows? Howard prevented the Lady Braves from scoring any runs until the sixth inning.
The Lady Braves got a pair of singles from Brittany Welch and Emily Laird to give Allison Myer a chance to tie the game at 2-2. Myer did just that with a single to right field.
The game remained at a dead lock tie, until the eighth inning.
The Lady Braves were allowed to put a runner on second base during the tie-breaker, to aid the speed of play.
With the runner going to second, the Lady Bulldogs intentionally walked the bases loaded for a force play at home plate. Clarkdale did not need the force out. Howard fanned the next two batters, and the got final out on a pop fly to center field, where Bethany Spidle was camped out to make the catch to end the inning.
Roberson had no doubts about scoring runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Clarkdale was also granted the last out of the previous inning to go to second base to start the bottom of the seventh inning. That runner was Savannah Satcher. Satcher was later bunted to first base by Brandi Wright. Megan Potate was the next batter and she singled in Satcher to end the game in fine fashion, with a 3-2 victory.
Clarkdale was led offensively by Howard with a triple and two RBIs, and Potate with the game-winning RBI single.
South Jones will return to Lauderdale County on Monday, when they battle Northeast Lauderdale in a heated division showdown.
Clarkdale will hit the road Thursday for a big division game against Stringer. Howard is slated to be the starter for the game.
The Lady Bulldogs and South Jones will tangle up again April 8 on the Lady Braves campus. Roberson said he is already looking forward to the challenge.