Malone, Lady Golden Tigers blank Phil Campbell
By Staff
Mike Self, Franklin County Times
PHIL CAMPBELL – Russellville softball coach Ted Ikerd knows how important pitching is to a team's success. That's why he's happy to have Breannia Malone around.
"Ninety percent of this game is what you've got going for you in the circle, and Breannia's been throwing well for us," Ikerd said on Monday after Malone struck out seven and allowed only two hits in a 6-0 win over Phil Campbell. "She's done a great job, especially for a freshman."
Malone retired the first 11 batters she faced Monday before hitting Erica Halcomb with a pitch in the fourth inning. She lost her no-hit bid with two outs in the bottom of the sixth when Carrie Fell stroked an opposite-field single for the Lady Bobcats.
Malone did not issue a walk and faced only four batters over the minimum in earning the complete game win.
The Lady Golden Tigers gave their young hurler an early lead by scoring four runs off Phil Campbell ace Melissa Russell in the top of the second.
Lyndi McDuffa led off the inning with a home run to left-center field, and Cortney Keelon followed with a single. After a sacrifice bunt by Jessica Malone, Tiffany Watkins' RBI double made it 2-0.
Watkins moved up on a wild pitch, and Laurie Rickard walked and stole second. Kara Sykes delivered a two-out, two-run single to make it 4-0.
Those were the only four runs Russell allowed in her five innings of work. The senior pitcher gave up five hits, striking out three and walking three.
"Against a pitcher like [Russell], we just have to take our chances and whack at it," Ikerd said. "We don't have a lot of speed, so we don't do a whole lot of bunting and running and that type of thing.
"Hitting is contagious. Lyndi's home run gave us a big lift, and then Cortney kept it going with a base hit and we were able to push across a few more runs."
Russellville padded the lead in the top of the sixth against reliever Kim Clark, loading the bases with one out on two errors and a walk. Dana Pruett came through with a two-run single to make it 6-0.
Phil Campbell mounted its best threat against Malone in the bottom of the sixth. Alexis Maggerise reached on an error and Fell had a two-out single to put runners at first and second, but Malone got Halcomb on a groundout to end the inning.
The highlight of the day for the Lady Bobcats came in the top of the fourth inning when third baseman Shelly Cooper recorded a rare unassisted double play-at first base.
With one out and a runner at first, Kendra Clement squared around to bunt for Russellville. The runner was off with the pitch, and Clement bunted the ball in the air down the third base line.
Cooper charged in and made a running catch and then, with nobody covering first base, raced to the bag to double off the runner and end the inning.
Sykes, McDuffa, Keelon, Watkins, Pruett, Rickard and Rachel Howard each had one hit for Russellville.
Cooper had an infield single for Phil Campbell.
