Lady Tigers Drop Area Games

by Jennifer King

The Varsity Lady Tigers Softball Team picked up a county win last week before dropping two area games. Ardmore shut out the visiting Tanner Lady Rattlers 3-0 on Monday. Area rival East Limestone, defeated the Lady Tigers 1-0 on Tuesday, scoring one run off of two hits in the top of the sixth inning. On Thursday, Ardmore traveled to Lawrence County to drop a 2-1 game in Area play.

Ardmore 3

Tanner 0

The Lady Tigers shut out the Lady Rattlers 3-0 on Monday, during an in school game. Ardmore scored all three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Shannon Fogg led off for Ardmore, with a single, and later scored on a single hit by Amber Wise. With courtesy runner, Jada Norton, on first base, Melissa Sharp hit a single, followed by Jennifer Ratley reaching base on a walk. With the bases loaded Sara Jo Taylor reached base on a walk, scoring Norton. Sharp then scored on a single hit by Candice Mills.

The Lady Tigers played strong defense throughout the game, to keep Tanner from scoring. The Lady Rattlers had an opportunity to score in the top of the sixth inning, but with the help of the Lady Tigers defense, they closed the inning with the bases loaded as Brittney Brown caught a pop fly on third base for the third out.

Amber Wise led the Lady Tigers in hits with a double and a single. Other hitters for Ardmore were Shannon Fogg, Casey Steadman, Melissa Sharp, Jada Norton, Kayla Martin, Sara Jo Taylor, and Candice Mills with a single each.

Casey Steadman took the pitching win for Ardmore, striking out six batters, walking one, and permitting three hits. Amber Wise was the catcher.

East Limestone 1

Ardmore 0

The Lady Tigers took a hard fall to area and county rival East Limestone on Tuesday, as they fell 1-0. Ardmore out hit East 4-2 but were never able to score any runners, leaving eight runners on base.

Brittney Brown led off for the Lady Tigers in the bottom of the first inning, reaching base on an error. Shannon Fogg had a sacrifice bunt to advance Brown, but the inning ended with Brown left on second.

Melissa Sharp picked up a single in the second inning, followed by a single from Jennifer Ratley, but neither runner was able to score.

Fogg hit a double in the bottom of the third, while Callie Steadman followed, reaching base on an error. Casey Steadman hit a fly ball to right center and as the ball was caught, Fogg tried to score, but was thrown out at home to end the inning.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Jennifer Ratley reached base after being hit by a pitch. Ratley was never able to score.

Callie Steadman led off for Ardmore in the bottom of the fifth inning, with a single to deep center field. Casey Steadman moved the runner on a sacrifice bunt. Steadman was left on second at the end of the inning.

In the top of the sixth inning, East Limestone's Jessyca Pepper hit a single, and later scored on a double hit by Shannon Bowling. The Lady Tigers were unable to score in the bottom of the inning, entering the last inning of play, trailing 1-0.

The Lady Tigers played impressive defense in the top of the seventh, to keep East from scoring another run. Jada Norton led off for Ardmore in the bottom of the inning, reaching third base when East made an error on a bunt. Sara Jo Taylor then reached base on a fielder's choice. The Lady Tigers ended the final inning of play with two runners left standing on base. Ardmore fell 1-0 to East.

Aarika Boggs took the pitching loss for Ardmore, striking out seven batters, walking three, and permitting two hits. Amber Wise was the catcher.

Lawrence County 2

Ardmore 1

The Lady Tigers took an early jump on Lawrence County, as they took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning of play. Melissa Sharp reached base on a walk and later scored on a double hit by Casey Steadman.

Lawrence County tied the game in the bottom of the inning, when the lead off batter hit a single and later scored.

In the top of the fourth, Sharp reached base on a single, but was later thrown out. Amber Wise reached base on a fielder's choice, but was never able to score.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Lawrence County advanced a runner to first base on a hit to center field. The runner later scored on a wild pitch, as Lawrence County took a 2-1 lead.

Ardmore had a chance to score in the top of the sixth, as Fogg reached base on a walk, but was left stranded on base. The Lady Tigers had another opportunity to score in the final inning of play. Amber Wise hit a single, but courtesy runner, Kayla Martin was later thrown out at second. Jennifer Ratley reached base on a fielder's choice, followed by Sara Jo Taylor reaching base on an error. Both runners were left on base at the close of the inning, as Lawrence County picked up a 2-1 victory.

Casey Steadman took the pitching loss for Ardmore, striking out nine batters, walking two, and permitting two hits. Amber Wise was the catcher.

Ardmore 3

0 0 0 3 0 0 0 X X 3 9 1

Tanner 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X X 0 3 0

Home runs, None

WP: Steadman, LP: Hines

East Limestone 1

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 X X 1 2 3

Ardmore 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X X 0 4 1

Home runs, None

WP: Medley, LP: Boggs

Lawrence County 2

0 0 0 3 0 0 0 X X 2 2 1

Ardmore 1

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 X X 1 3 5

Home runs, None

WP: Borden, LP: Steadman