NHC captures coach-pitch crown

By DALE STUBBLEFIELD / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

U.S. Equipment’s Erica Cantrell hustles into second safely while being chased by NHC’s Caroline McKinley. (Dale Stubblefield photo)

Tuesday night NHC came out of the losers’ bracket and defeated U.S. Equipment for the championship in the girls 7- and 8-year-old coach-pitch tournament.

NHC defeated U.S. Equipment twice, with a 22-13 win in the first game and a 12-11 in the second game.

In the first game NHC pounded out 37 hits, while U.S. Equipment had 20 hits on the night. NHC sent seven runs across the plate in the top of the first inning. Kimberly Warden led off with a base hit, Coly Richardson singled and then Caroline McKinley doubled, bringing home Warden and Richardson. Jacquelyn Leeman, McKenzi Rockwell, Stacey Arnold and Britney Porter singled to give NHC the early lead.

NHC added three runs in the second. U.S. Equipment got on the score board in the bottom of the second when Camerie Martin led off with a single. Hilary Teeters, Jamie Titttsworth, Kati Womack and Taren Turner singled to cut the lead to 10-3.

NHC added one run in the top of the third. U.S. Equipment scored six runs in the bottom of the inning and pulled within two at 11-9. NHC broke the game open in the top of the fourth with six runs crossing the plate for a 17-9 lead.

U.S. added three runs in the bottom of the inning with hits from Nykeshia Vaughn, Lindsey Snodgrass and Katelynn Cammack. NHC scored five runs in the top of the fifth. U.S. Equipment tried to make a come back but NHC held them to one run for the win and send the two teams to another game for the championship.

In the second game U.S. Equipment came out swinging, sending seven runs to the plate in the top of the first. Madison Smartt got things started for U.S., Erica Cantrell singled then Erkia Colangione doubled for two RBIs. Martin Tittsworth, Womack, Turner and Vaughn had base hits to give U.S. Equipment a 7-0 lead.

NHC scored four runs in the bottom of the inning. Warden and McKinley singled then Sara Womack tripled with Leeman and Rockwell driving singles up the middle to cut the lead to 7-4. U.S. Equipment scored one run in the top of the second.

NHC cut the lead to 8-6 in the bottom of the second with hits from Chelsy Chandler, Kelly Arnold, Elizabeth Weller and Warden. Teeters started things off for U.S. Equipment in the top of the third. Tittsworth, Womack and Turner singled to give U.S. a 11-6 lead.

NHC put their lead off hitter Sara Womack on with a hit to left in the bottom of the third. Leeman set the tone for the inning as she homered to left field for two RBI’s. But NHC wasn’t finished, Leala Marlin singled, Arnold doubled, Porter tripled and singles by Chandler, Arnold and Warden gave NHC the tournament title with a 12-11 win as time expired.

In the championship game, Smartt, Tittsworth, Womack and Turner had two hits each. Cantrell, Colangione, Teeters, Vaughn, Cammack and Lance had one hit each for U.S. Equipment.

For NHC, Warden and Womack had three hits each. McKinley, Leeman, Arnold, Chandler and Arnold had two hits each. Richardson, Rockwell, Marlin, Porter and Weller had one hit each.