Returning
from a two week layoff during Spring Break, the Tigers took a
small step backward, regressing mildly in both hitting and
pitching.
The game opened well enough for the
Tigers, although they were forced into accepting base on balls
- an approach the opposition has utilized, but not the
Tigers. With few, if any, pitches to swing at, Caroline
Kilday, Rutherford
Stephens, and Katie
Westmoreland walked the bases full for Audrey
Hipple. After collectively taking 13 balls, Audrey
reached out of the strike zone to slap a ball to the right
side, driving in two. Allyson
Williams and Brittany
Leeper walked the bases loaded again, and a final pass to Kinsey
Phillips pushed across the Tigers third run.
Katie
took the mound for the Tigers, but couldn't match her
performance in the last game, two weeks earlier. While
far too strong for the Thrashers to hit, she was mostly over
the strike zone and slightly wild, hitting three batters and
walking two to go along with a strikeout of the Thrashers
number three hitter, Laura Stone.
The Tigers went right back to work,
regaining the lead on walks to Ashley
Favors, Irene
Tsinajinnie, and Stami
Luchette before a pair of strikeouts threatened to leave
the bases full and the Tigers scoreless. But Rutherford
and Katie drew
RBI bases on balls, and Audrey
again put the bat on the ball, drilling the ball through the
right side into right field to finish the rally, the Tigers
now up 6-3.
Katie
went to a full count before walking the first batter, then
struck out the next. Allyson
threw out the baserunner trying to steal third, with Brittany
- in just her second inning of work at third - staying with
the throw and quickly applying the tag. Now with two
down and the bases empty, the Tigers looked poised to take
control of the game. Their fortunes turn there,
though. Katie
struggled just on the edge of success, walking five and
hitting one batter, as the Thrashers worked their way back to
a 6-6 tie.
The Tigers fell victim to what seemed
to be a growing strike zone, as the Thrashers Cassie Clack
picked up two strikeouts, each time the Tiger batter taking
the first pitch, seemingly well out of reach, for a called
strike. Upon seeing the ball in the same location, they
swung, essentially proving it too far away. Brittany
legged out a single in between and stole two bases, but was
stranded at third as the inning ended.
The strike zone appeared to return to
normal dimensions as Rutherford
came in to pitch. One strike to each of the first six
batters proved insufficient, resulting in five walks.
The first two batters reached base on three balls each, before
a third walk on the customary four balls loaded the
bases. Allyson,
in her first action out from behind the plate, took a ground
ball at third and picked up the force. The next three
batters again walked before a ground ball through the middle
scored two runs, giving the Thrashers a 9-6 lead.
The Tigers went scoreless in the
final, open inning. Manager Doug Stephens choked on the
first batter, forcing Irene
to swing at a ball in the dirt on the fifth and final pitch,
managing a foul but still charged with a strikeout. Stami
was retired for the second out, nearly beating out a grounder
to second. With one out left, Tina
Savic handcuffed the first baseman with a grounder to
right field. Caroline
kept the Tigers alive, easily beating out a short hit, and
Rutherford singled to the left side to load the bases. Tina
threatened to overrun the bag at third, and Coach Jackie
Stephens reacted unadvisedly, touching Tina
to keep her on base and drawing an out due to the coach
assisting the baserunner. Katie's
big bat was taken out of her hands with the tying run on base.
An unfortunate ending to an otherwise
close game puts the Thrashers alone in second place and leaves
the Tigers in third at 1-2. The Tigers will try to
regain the momentum they had garnered prior to Spring Break
against the Sluggers on Saturday.
Interesting how the coaches only
get mentioned when they make mistakes, and that there has yet to
be mention of coach Brad Westmoreland. Let's hope it
stays that way.
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Recent Results
Tuesday, March 27
Panthers 9,
Sluggers 6
Thursday, March 29
Lucky Shoals v
Sluggers - canceled
Upcoming Games
Thursday, April 12
Titans v
Panthers (7:45)
Friday, April 13
Sluggers v
Titans (7:45)
Saturday, April 14
Tigers v
Sluggers (11:15)
Titans v Thrashers (1:00)
Tiger of the Game
Tiger of the Game honors
go to Brittany Leeper, taking another stint on the infield and
coming up with a play that nearly turned the second inning and the
game around, completing the putout on a stolen base attempt.
In addition, she picked up one on the Tigers two hits off Thrasher
pitching.
Honorable mention goes
to Audrey Hipple for refusing to take a walk so effectively,
accounting for half the Tiger runs, and Allyson Williams
(again) for her two plays: throwing out a runner at third, and
picking up a force while at third herself.
Next Game
Date: Saturday, April 14
Time: 11:15 PM
Opponent: Sluggers
Drinks: Leeper
The Tigers were well
represented at the Arcado Fun Run, among the 425 total
entries. For the fourth grade girls, Caroline
Kilday finished 2nd in the 1K run, while Stami
Luchette took 6th in the 5K. Allyson
Williams took 3rd in the fifth grade 5K run.
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