ACCS opens softball season with close loss to CENLA

Published 12:23 am Saturday, July 31, 2010

NATCHEZ — Falling in extra innings is usually a big disappointment, but Adams County Christian head fast-pitch softball coach Forrest Foster wasn’t too down after Friday night’s 7-6 loss vs. CENLA Christian.

After giving up a run in the top of the sixth, Adams Coun got the bases loaded with two outs, but failed to drive in a run. CENLA got the victory, but Foster said he liked what he saw from his girls in the first game of their season.

“I thought we did well overall. We had some first-game jitters, especially with the younger players, because some of our starters are on vacation and they had to start in their place,” Foster said.

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“That put some pressure on them, but they did a good job with the situation we put them in.”

With the game tied 6-6 at the end of the hour-and-a-half regulation play, extra-inning rules dictated a runner start on second base for each team at the start of the frame. Kris Broussard was the CENLA baserunner, and after reaching third, she scored on a throwing error that went past ACCS third baseman Kaitlan Melton.

ACCS’ Abby Givens started the bottom of the sixth on second base, but after getting to third base, she was faked out on a soft ground ball and tagged out at third.

“Their pitcher did a really good job (on that play). It was a baserunning mistake, and that was the first time Abby had been in that situation, so I’m sure she learned from it,” Foster said.

ACCS loaded the bases with two outs, but failed to get a run in, giving CENLA the 7-6 win.

ACCS struck first when Melton scored on a fielder’s choice by Lady Rebels pitcher Mary Sanders in the bottom of the first. CENLA struck back, scoring a run in the top of the second, tying the game 1-1.

Melton scored again on a passed ball in the bottom of the third, and Shelby Guice scored on a single by Ashton Mason, giving ACCS a 3-1 lead.

The Lady Lions came storming back to take the lead, though. Brittney Hedricks hit a 3-run triple for CENLA, and came home on a passed ball, giving the Lady Lions a 5-3 lead in the top of the fourth.

Kaitlan Pace scored Givens on a double in the bottom of the fourth, and Pace came in on a fielder’s choice Kylie Powell, tying the game again 5-5.

CENLA added a run in the top of the fifth, and Sanders scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game 6-6 at the end of regulation.

Sanders went the distance for ACCS, giving up seven runs in six innings. Foster said her performance was much better than her line indicated.

“She couldn’t get that first pitch strike, so that made it to where we couldn’t use her entire arsenal. She pitched the whole game, and I thought she did well overall,” Foster said.

ACCS (0-1) will travel to Centreville today for a three-game round robin. The Lady Rebels will play Silliman at 9 a.m., Trinity at 12 p.m. and Centreville at 4:30 p.m.