By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
APril 18, 2004
PHILADELPHIA The three main ingredients in fast-pitch softball are pitching, speed, and defense and the Philadelphia Lady Tornadoes had all three in Saturday's 7-1, 4-0 sweep of Mize to win the Class 1A/2A second-round playoff series.
Mize had won the series opener 3-2 Thursday at Mize.
Philadelphia, 20-5, advances to a South State championship series next week against Clarkdale.
It was a frustrating afternoon for the Lady Bulldogs as they stranded 19 runners in the two losses, including 15 in scoring position. Mize left 10 runners in scoring position on base in the first game alone.
In Saturday's decisive third game at Burnside Park, Erin Breland tossed a six-hit shutout to get the win.
Leadoff batter Candace Griffen took care of the speed factor, scoring three of the Lady Tornadoes' four runs. In the first inning, she reached on an error, stole second, and continued home when Mize catcher Brooke Roberts' throw sailed into center field.
In the third, Griffen singled and motored around the bases when the ball got past Jessica Eubanks in left field. Griffen made it 3-0 in the fifth when she walked, stole second, and scored on a fielder's choice by Dawn Rushing.
Philadelphia's fourth run came in the bottom of the sixth as Shanese Hunter doubled and pinch runner Shawana Boyd scored on another throwing error by Roberts on a steal of third.
Breland (4-0) struck out two and walked one.
Notable defensive gems were turned in by Shenique Brass at shortstop and by Shelby Smith, who played right field after pitching the first game of the day. Leann Sullivan (14-4) took the loss as Mize finished 15-6. Jillian Sparnecht had two of Philadelphia's six hits.
Anna Voelz and Allison Underwood both had two of Mize's six hits. In the opener, Brittnay Hodges padded a 2-0 Philadelphia lead with a bases-loaded triple in the bottom of the fifth. Smith followed with an RBI single two batters later for a 6-0 lead.
Griffen made it 7-0 in the sixth when she beat out an infield hit, stole second, and scored on a single by Brass.
The Lady Tornadoes got their first two runs in the second inning. Hodges reached on an error and Rushing followed with a single. Alex Burt and Hunter each had a two-out RBI single.
Mize got its only run of the day in the top of the seventh. Brooke Robinson reached on a leadoff walk and scored on an error on fly ball in shallow right field.
Smith (13-4) allowed only four hits, while walking eight and striking out three.
Sullivan (14-3) took the loss, giving up nine hits to go with one walk and eight strikeouts.