Softball
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Stinnett slams door on Midway in round one
The Midway Green Wave rolled confidently into Murfreesboro on Tuesday at the Blue Cross Spring Fling looking for their first ever state tournament win, but remained winless and off into the loser’s bracket once again after suffering a 4-0 defeat to a determined and still hungry defending Class A champion Forrest Lady Rockets team that still has their most dangerous weapon, All-State hurler Shelby Stinnett.
“It feels good to be back and finally playing a game,” said Forrest head coach Becky Cheatham. “It also feels good not having to win by the skin of your teeth like last week.”
Forrest won two one-run ballgames last week in both the Region 5A title game versus Houston County and Friday’s Class A sectional versus Summertown to reach the Blue Cross Spring Fling for a fourth straight season.
Stinnett gave Midway just one chance, allowing two second inning hits that they could not capitalize on before holding them hitless and scoreless the rest of the way. Stinnett struck out 10 Midway batters in the ballgame and did walk a batter, improving her three-year state tournament record to 8-3.
Stinnett’s opposing hurler in the circle, Hannah Colyer, also an all-stater, did not get much help behind her from a porous Midway defense that committed 6 errors as all of Forrest’s runs were unearned. Colyer gave up just 4 hits, struck out 4, and walked one in the contest.
After a scoreless first inning, Midway’s Katy Alexander led off the second, singling to right field. Stinnett struck out Taylor Narramore before Paige Moree lined a shot down the chalk line in left for a base hit, putting runners on first and second.
Stinnett buckled down, getting out of the jam on a strike out and an inning ending pop-out to second baseman Summer Waggoner.
Forrest’s Heather James, who had two hits in the ballgame, led off the bottom of the inning with a single to right. Amanda Daughrity laid down a sac bunt, moving James to second. Adrean Jordan reached on an infield error, putting Lady Rocket runners at the corners.
James trotted home and Jordan went to third on the next pitch from Colyer that went to the backstop, making it 1-0.
On the next pitch, Forrest catcher Caitlyn Rotchford squeezed in Jordan for a 2-0 lead.
Chelsea Johnson followed with a two-out walk and Haley Mathis made it first and second with a bunt single. Johnson came around to score when Brianda Elmore hit a ball to second that was bobbled by Midway.
Forrest committed two errors with two outs in the top of third, but Stinnett once again squelched the scoring threat with a whiff for the third out.
The Green Wave (25-5) did not have a base runner off Stinnett the rest of the contest.
Forrest’s got their fourth run in the 5th when Stinnett led off with a single to center and trotted to third on a two base outfield error. Ciara Cook came in as a courtesy runner at third for Stinnett and pranced home on a wild pitch.
Stinnett retired the next six Midway batters in order to finish the job, setting up a second round, mammoth Marshall County match-up between Forrest (24-7) and Cornersville (34-4) tonight at 5pm.
They meet tonight for the first time since the Lady Rockets eliminated the Lady Bulldogs 3-2 in last year’s loser bracket Public School championship.
Forrest, spurred by that emotional win, went on to beat heavily favored Trinity Christian on back-to-back nights, claiming the 2008 title, the first in the school’s history.
“I just hope we can play a good ballgame versus Cornersville,” said Cheatham after the Midway win. “Cornersville has an outstanding hitting team and we are going to have to play a sound ballgame to win.”
“It feels good to be back and finally playing a game,” said Forrest head coach Becky Cheatham. “It also feels good not having to win by the skin of your teeth like last week.”
Forrest won two one-run ballgames last week in both the Region 5A title game versus Houston County and Friday’s Class A sectional versus Summertown to reach the Blue Cross Spring Fling for a fourth straight season.
Stinnett gave Midway just one chance, allowing two second inning hits that they could not capitalize on before holding them hitless and scoreless the rest of the way. Stinnett struck out 10 Midway batters in the ballgame and did walk a batter, improving her three-year state tournament record to 8-3.
Stinnett’s opposing hurler in the circle, Hannah Colyer, also an all-stater, did not get much help behind her from a porous Midway defense that committed 6 errors as all of Forrest’s runs were unearned. Colyer gave up just 4 hits, struck out 4, and walked one in the contest.
After a scoreless first inning, Midway’s Katy Alexander led off the second, singling to right field. Stinnett struck out Taylor Narramore before Paige Moree lined a shot down the chalk line in left for a base hit, putting runners on first and second.
Stinnett buckled down, getting out of the jam on a strike out and an inning ending pop-out to second baseman Summer Waggoner.
Forrest’s Heather James, who had two hits in the ballgame, led off the bottom of the inning with a single to right. Amanda Daughrity laid down a sac bunt, moving James to second. Adrean Jordan reached on an infield error, putting Lady Rocket runners at the corners.
James trotted home and Jordan went to third on the next pitch from Colyer that went to the backstop, making it 1-0.
On the next pitch, Forrest catcher Caitlyn Rotchford squeezed in Jordan for a 2-0 lead.
Chelsea Johnson followed with a two-out walk and Haley Mathis made it first and second with a bunt single. Johnson came around to score when Brianda Elmore hit a ball to second that was bobbled by Midway.
Forrest committed two errors with two outs in the top of third, but Stinnett once again squelched the scoring threat with a whiff for the third out.
The Green Wave (25-5) did not have a base runner off Stinnett the rest of the contest.
Forrest’s got their fourth run in the 5th when Stinnett led off with a single to center and trotted to third on a two base outfield error. Ciara Cook came in as a courtesy runner at third for Stinnett and pranced home on a wild pitch.
Stinnett retired the next six Midway batters in order to finish the job, setting up a second round, mammoth Marshall County match-up between Forrest (24-7) and Cornersville (34-4) tonight at 5pm.
They meet tonight for the first time since the Lady Rockets eliminated the Lady Bulldogs 3-2 in last year’s loser bracket Public School championship.
Forrest, spurred by that emotional win, went on to beat heavily favored Trinity Christian on back-to-back nights, claiming the 2008 title, the first in the school’s history.
“I just hope we can play a good ballgame versus Cornersville,” said Cheatham after the Midway win. “Cornersville has an outstanding hitting team and we are going to have to play a sound ballgame to win.”
