NC sweeps to advance in playoffs

By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Oct. 15, 2003
DECATUR Newton County advanced to the third round of the Class 3A state slow-pitch playoffs with a 19-4, 22-7 sweep of Collins Tuesday.
Newton County (27-6) will play at West Lauderdale on Saturday.
Newton County had 40 hits in the two wins.
In the opener, the Lady Cougars had 19 hits with Meloni Johnson hitting a pair of two-run homers and driving in five runs. Joni Seale had two singles and a triple. Mallory Shumake had two singles and three RBIs.
Lindsey Stevens had a single and a triple to drive in two runs. Joy Cavenaugh had two doubles and two RBIs. Dominique Mapp had a single and a double. Amber Tyson had a pair of singles. Lindsey Little had a two-run single, while Megan Munn had a double.
Chassidy Smith (26-6) got the win.
Collins tied the game at three in the top of the second on an RBI single by Dallas Page, but the Lady Cougars sent 17 batters to the plate in the bottom of the second and scored 12 runs.
Jaquita Williams had two triples for Collins. Lindsay Buffington, Jessica McLaurin, and Brandy Smith each had two hits.
Collins led 2-1 after an inning in the second game, but Newton County again had a big second inning, scoring six runs. The Lady Tigers pulled to within 12-7 with four runs in the bottom of the fifth, but Newton County sealed the outcome with 10 runs in the top of the sixth.
Seale went 4-for-4 with two triples for the Lady Cougars. Cavenaugh had two singles and a double to drive in four runs. Lorna Blackburn had two singles and a double to drive in two runs. Stevens had two singles and a pair of RBIs.