JHS starts Day 2 of softball tournament with win over host

Published 8:26 pm Friday, March 16, 2012

By James Dubuisson

The Jemison Lady Panthers defeated the Maplesville Red Devils 6-3 in pool play on Day 2 of the Chilton County Softball Tournament.

Chilton County defeated Isabella, 7-1, in the second game of the day to the earn the top seed out of Pool B.

After more pool play games, a single elimination tournament will be played Saturday at Maplesville to determine the county champion.

The third game Friday, between Thorsby and Maplesville, ended too late to be included in this report, but if MHS were to win, there would be a three-way tie in Pool A, and coaches would draw for seeding.

After the first two batters of the bottom of the first inning of the first game, Jemison shortstop Shelby Lopez got the first hit of the game with a triple. She was brought home on a single by Tiffany Guin.

The Lady Panthers tacked on one more run in the inning to put them up 2-0 after one inning of play.

Jemison added to their lead in the bottom of the second inning. After a single and a walk, centerfielder Shelby Griffin hit a two-run triple. She later scored off a two-run double hit by Denten Ellison.

The Lady Panthers’ 6-0 lead was cut down by MHS in the top of the third. After 2 2/3 innings of no-hit softball, JHS starting pitcher Guin finally allowed a single, by Red Devil center fielder Natalie Arnold.

Arnold would score later in the inning off of a JHS fielding error. Guin got out of the inning with a 6-1 lead.

The Lady Panthers’ bats cooled off when Alexus Goggins came in to pitch for the Red Devils. Goggins only allowed one hit and two walks in her three innings of relief for MHS.

Guin was able to protect JHS’s lead in the final two innings she pitched. She pitched a complete game, only allowing one earned run and striking out four batters.

The Lady Panthers offense was led by Griffin, who went 2-for-3 with a triple, two runs batted in and a run scored. Ellison also had two RBI for Jemison as she went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk.

“We hit much better today,” JHS coach Leighsa Robinson said. “We played as a team today; that was the difference today from yesterday.”

MHS’s Arnold scored two of the Red Devils’ three runs. She had two singles and two stolen bases.