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| Tiger catcher Eric Atchley, left, prepares to field a low throw to the plate as a Wildcat runner (33) races toward home during Ardmore's loss to West Limestone. (photo by Dwight Turner) |
Ardmore Tigers Lose In
Extra-Innings To Wildcats
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by Dwight Turner Ardmore High School's Varsity Baseball Team made the trek to Clements last Saturday to participate in the Limestone County Varsity Baseball Tournament. The Tigers took the field at noon and, despite a solid mound performance by southpaw Clay Wales, Ardmore eventually lost to West Limestone 4-3 in eight innings. With the score knotted at 3-3 at the end of regulation, the Wildcats got two quick singles off Tiger reliever Bryan McClendon. With runners on second and third, the next West Limestone hitter drew an intentional walk to load the bases with one out. An Ardmore error then allowed the go-ahead run to score to put West up 4-3.
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 Tiger shortstop Will Lewis fields a throw at second as a Wildcat runner (2) slides into the bag during Ardmore's loss to West Limestone. (photo by Dwight Turner) |
In the bottom of the eighth, the Tigers came close to pulling out the win. With two outs, Eric Atchley was hit by a pitch. Slugger Charlie Deffenbaugh stepped into the box for Ardmore and launched a long shot deep down the left field line. The ball hit about three feet in front of the fence and bounced over, giving Deffenbaugh a ground-rule double and forcing Atchley to stop at third. Had the ball rattled off the fence rather than bouncing over, Atchley would have easily scored. Deffenbaugh's double was one of many clutch hits by the Tiger centerfielder this season.
With runners on second and third, West Limestone's Josh Wheeler, on in relief, retired the final Ardmore batter to seal the win for the Wildcats.
Ardmore took an early lead, pushing across a run in the bottom of the first. Landon Taylor lead off with a walk and Will Lewis also drew a base-on-balls to put runners at first and second. Atchley drilled a sacrifice fly to right, advancing both Taylor and Lewis. With just one out, Deffenbaugh hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Taylor, but Lewis was thrown out trying to advance to third.
Ardmore held a 1-0 lead heading into the second inning.
West Limestone gained the lead, 2-1, in the top of the third. The Wildcats plated two runs on two hits, an error and a walk. Trailing by a run, Ardmore tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the third. Taylor singled and stole second. Lewis stepped to the plate and drilled a solid single, scoring Taylor.
West Limestone regained the lead by plating a run in the top of the fourth on a double that followed a Tiger error.
Trailing 3-2, the Tigers came to bat in the bottom of the sixth and tied the game with clutch hitting. Again, Deffenbaugh was in the middle of the action.
With one out, Atchley reached base on a single and scored when Deffenbaugh nailed a double to left. Deffenbaugh then stole third but was left stranded.
The score remained knotted at 3-3 at the end of regulation. The Wildcats tallied a run in the top of the eighth and, despite Deffenbaugh's double, Ardmore came up just short.
W. Limestone 4
0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 x 4 7 0
Ardmore 3
1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 x 3 6 5
WP _ Wheeler; LP _ McClendon
Homeruns _ none.
