Union posts rally to beat Nanih Waiya
By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Sept. 17, 2002
UNION Union and Nanih Waiya battled six times on the slow-pitch softball diamond last fall with Union winning four of the games. Nanih Waiya, however, won the Class 1A South State championship series two games to one and advanced to the state tournament while Union went home.
Monday's first meeting between the two teams in 2002 was almost as intense as Union scored nine times in the bottom of the sixth inning to erase a 7-5 deficit in taking a 14-9 victory at Laird Park.
Union improved to 4-0 in Division 6-1A and 11-5 overall. Nanih Waiya dropped to 3-1 and 6-8.
Union led 5-3 through four innings before the Lady Warriors rallied for four runs in the top of the fifth. Dawn Hunt had an RBI-single and Nycole Hemphill added a two-run triple for Nanih Waiya.
The Lady Warriors were leading 7-6 when catcher Daphanie Hatcher was hit on the arm by Beth Crotwell's bat. Hatcher was called for catcher's interference and had to leave the game with the injury. Crotwell took first to load the bases with one out.
Lindsay Walker's fielder's choice tied the game at 7-7 and Loren Kennedy gave Union the lead for good with an RBI-single. Morgan Milling followed with a two-run single for a 10-7 lead. Before the inning was over, Union got RBI-singles from Marley Smith and Lauren White and a run-scoring double from Tiffany Thomas.
Union outhit Nanih Waiya 14-13. The Lady Jackets managed the win despite committing seven errors to three for Nanih Waiya. Eight of Union's 14 hits came in the sixth inning.
Milling went 3-for-4 with two singles, a triple, and four RBIs for Union. Thomas also went 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs. White had a single and a double, while Kennedy and Madison Brantley had two singles apiece.
Courtnee Graham went 4-for-4 to pace Nanih Waiya. Hemphill had a single and a triple to drive in three runs. Ashley Pugh had a single and a double. Christy Hickman and Jennifer Ingram both had a triple, while Hatcher added a double.
