By MICHAEL CHILDERS
Somerset — Southwestern came into Thursday night’s contest with Clinton County at a slight disadvantage. The Lady Warriors were missing bits of their starting nine. Two players, Nikki Fox and Destiny Molden, were injured in the Lady Warriors’ 15-0 win over Monticello Tuesday night. Fox sat the game out with a knee injury, while Molden had limited playing time with a hurt thumb. Outfielder Ashley Simpson was not in the line-up either due to unforeseen circumstances.
However, the Lady Warriors had to go on and play without Simpson and Fox in the starting line-up. They struggled without them. The Lady Bulldogs of Clinton County came to The War Path and defeated Southwestern 9-1, handing the Lady Warriors their third loss on the season.
“If this is how we play when I need players off the bench - we’re in trouble,” explained Woodall. “With the first nine, we’re as good as anybody. I thought we would be better with some changes from our bench, but it just didn’t work tonight.”
Jim Woodall’s club struggled from the get-go, surrendering eight runs in the first three innings. Leanze Jones got the start for Woodall, but lasted only a mere inning. Michelle Wray put the Lady Bulldogs on the board with a two-run homer to left center.
The Lady Bulldogs continued to expand their 2-0 lead in the second frame. After an RBI triple from Cierra Thompson, Woodall brought in Sydney Fourman in relief for Jones. A bloop single from Brooke Boils added a run. On the play, an error gave the Lady Bulldogs another run, taking a 5-0 advantage.
Clinton County tacked on three more runs in top half of the third inning. A pair of singles and some costly errors expanded the Lady Bulldogs’ lead to 8-0.
The Lady Warriors accounted only for a pair of hits in the first three innings. In the second frame, back-to-back singles up the middle from Sydney Fourman and Erin Carter were the only damage done by Southwestern.
After shutting down Clinton County in the top part of the fourth, Southwestern tallied their lone run of the game. Jones started the inning with a double. A sacrifice bunt from Hope Bruner scored Jones, cutting the Clinton County lead to 8-1.
Woodall’s club tallied more hits in the last couple of innings, but it was too little, too late. A triple from Molden and a Andrea Keeney double were apart of a Lady Warrior rally in the sixth and seventh innings.
Clinton County won by a final of 9-1.
“It was just one of those games where we weren’t ready to play - and that falls on my shoulders,” stated Woodall. “Clinton County came in here and hit the ball and made plays. We had too many errors. We’re not going to win games making errors.”
Chelsea Sampson, of Clinton County, pitched all seven innings in the victory, giving up six hits and one run.
The Southwestern pitching tandem of Leanze Jones and Sydney Fourman struggled. Jones was credited with the loss, striking out two batters in as many innings. Fourman was on the mound for five innings, striking out four Lady Bulldogs. She also walked four and hit four batters.
“Our pitching wasn’t there,” said the Lady Warrior head coach. “Neither Leanze or Sydney were not as sharp as I’ve seen them - it happens.”
Fourman was perfect at the plate with a 3 for 3 performance, ripping three singles.
With the loss, the Lady Warriors’ record drops to 6-3 on the year.
“We just couldn’t get the hits and get anything going,” continued Woodall. “Clinton County came in here and handed it to us. They win, we lose.”
The ‘Blue and Orange’ returned to action last night in the Keith Blair Memorial with games against Knox Central and Lloyd Memorial. Southwestern will hit the field again today, as they will host Estill County at 3:00 p.m. at The War Path.
CC 2 3 3 0 0 1 0 - 9 11 2
SW 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 - 1 6 3
2B - Jones, Keeney (SW).
3B - Molden (SW). Thompson (CC).
HR - Wray (CC).
RBI - Bruner (SW). Walls 2, Wray 2, Conner, Boils, Thompson (CC).
WP - Sampson (CC).
LP - Jones (SW).
