By By Tim Cottrell
The Northview Lady Chiefs shook off the cold and the worry about an injured teammate to thoroughly demolish the Lady Blue Eagles of W.S. Neal 15-1 Tuesday night in Molino, Fla.
The Lady Chiefs scored all 15 runs in the first inning.
"(After the 15-run first) we were trying to get the game in," Lady Chief Coach Sammy Day said. "It was cold, and we just started trying to get innings over. If girls got on, I just told them to go early so the umpire would call them out. We probably would've gotten two innings in if we had kept at them."
The game was complete after the fourth inning and was called.
The Lady Chiefs were walked 16 times in the game, but a few bats shone through. Stephanie Covan finished 2-for-2 with a triple, Darbie Langhorn was 1-for-2 and also had a triple, Rachel Killam was 1-for-1 and was walked twice, and Victoria Roach also finished with a hit, while being walked and hit by a pitch.
Stacey Hardin picked up the win at pitcher for the Lady Chiefs, throwing all four innings and striking out seven.
Hardin was pitching due to the absence of pitcher Cassie Godwin, who had been hit by a line-drive the night prior. Day said Godwin was feeling much better.
"She's doing fine," Day said. "She was back in school late Tuesday, and she would've played last night (Thursday) had the game not been called off."
The Lady Chiefs were to host East Hill Christian Thursday afternoon, but that game was called due to inclement weather and will be made up March 28.
ECHS 24
Clarke County 9
The Escambia County Lady Devils blasted the Clarke County Lady Bulldogs 24-9 Thursday on a cold night at Ponytail Park in Tom Byrne Park in Atmore.
"It was a cold, long night," said Lady Devil coach Jeff Haney of the four innings, two-and-a-half hour debacle. "They were a young team and we took advantage of a lot of their mistakes. They had an eighth grader pitching because their No. 1 pitcher was off on some sort of school function. It was a walk-fest."
The Lady Bulldog pitcher served up 14 walks during the game.
Morgan Marsh pitched two innings for the Lady Devils, with Kim Holland wrapping up the final two.
"We took advantage of a young team's mistakes," Haney said. "It was a solid team effort. No one shined above anyone else, and I kind of like it that way. Everybody played well."
Haney said the Lady Bulldogs would be a team to watch out for down the road.
"They're going to be a good team in a couple of years," Haney said. "I'm sure they'll be looking to get back at us for this one, too."
The Lady Devils were to host Jay Tuesday, but that game was called off due to inclement weather. The game was made up Friday afternoon, but that game was incomplete at press time.
EA 12, Cottage Hill 2
The Escambia Academy Lady Cougars overcame a slow start and cold weather to pound Cottage Hill Christian Academy 12-2 in six innings Tuesday afternoon in Canoe.
Lori Bonds picked up the win, pitching all six innings, striking out five and allowing only one hit.
Leading hitters for the Lady Cougars were Jaime Drew, who batted 3-4 with four RBI; Keisha Lee, who batted 2-4; and Rayleen Miller, also 2-4 with two RBI.
A four-run fifth inning and a five-run sixth sewed up the win for the Lady Cougars.
"We started out kind of sluggish," said Lady Cougar coach Darrell Jackson. "We allowed Cottage Hill to stay in the game for too long. We started clicking after a while and became a very dominating team, and a team I've grown accustomed to being around."
Jackson felt his team was hitting its stride over the past two weeks.
"We're beginning to play pretty good ball," Jackson said. "We've been limiting mistakes and it makes us a lot better team."
Jackson said his team had a tough task ahead this Tuesday.
"We've got a real test Tuesday with Mobile Christian," Jackson said. "They're really the team to beat. We played them earlier (in the Patrician Tournament) and it wasn't pretty. They mercy-ruled everyone in that tournament, I think. But hopefully the outcome will be different this time."