By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
April 21, 2002
DECATUR – Newton County junior pitcher Lauren Barrett was sharper than a new razor Saturday afternoon as she no-hit West Marion in a 6-0 Lady Cougars victory.
Seventh-ranked Newton County swept the Class 3A best-of-three fast-pitch playoff series two games to none and improved to 32-5. The Lady Cougars return to action Saturday when they take on Richland. The 12-6 Lady Rangers nipped Purvis 6-5 Saturday to sweep that series.
Barrett struck out 10 and allowed only one baserunner in the seven inning contest. She issued a leadoff walk to Angie Lee to start the top of the third, but before Lee got settled in good on first, Carly Lowe grounded into a double play as Barrett (9-1) faced the minimum 21 batters. It was Barrett's second no-hitter of the season as she also shut down Clarkdale 9-0 on Feb. 19.
Saturday, the Lady Cougar outfielders never had to make a play. Sophomore third baseman Dominique Mapp had four assists, junior shortstop Kristin Chaney had three assists and one putout, junior second baseman Suzanne Chaney had one putout, and senior first baseman Betsy Clark had eight putouts. The rest of the game was pitch and catch with Barrett and catcher Jennifer Smith.
Barrett's change-up made sure her teammates didn't have to field too many chances.
The Lady Cougars got five of their runs in the first two innings as they had five of their seven hits for the game over that span. Newton County also swiped seven bases in the first two frames.
The Lady Cougars scored twice in the bottom of the first. Kristin Chaney was hit by a pitch and Krissi Harris reached on an error. Joy Cavenaugh's ground out scored Chaney with Clark following with an RBI-single.
Shelly Ferguson and Smith opened the bottom of the second with singles with Smith's driving in Ferguson after she had stolen second base and taken third when the throw went into center field. Mapp added an RBI-double in the inning.
The game's only other run came in the fourth as Holly Jackson singled and went to second on an error in left field. She scored on a ground out by Harris.
Ferguson went 2-for-2 as Newton County had seven hits off losing pitcher Carrie Stringer.